Conference : Mohawks' participation in the War of 1812-1815
How the Native Warriors militia prevented the American invasion of Upper and Lower Canada!
Eric Pouliot-Thisdale; Research Technician at the Université de Montréal
Kwé, Kuei, Hello!!!!!
March 15, 2019, 6:00 p. m.
320 Sainte-Catherine Street East
Room DS-R520 level Ground floor, UQAM
Open to all! Free admission!
Before Canada became a country, military alliances between England and First Nations were a key part of the British North American defence network. During the War of 1812, First Nations and Métis communities allied themselves with the British for a common goal: to resist American expansion. More than 10,000 First Nations warriors from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Valley region have fought in almost every major battle of the war. In each region, First Nations warriors helped to repel American troops. According to several British commanders, these important victories were largely due to the contribution of Aboriginal allies.
This conference will focus on the Kahnesatake and Kahnawake Warriors who took part in the War of 1812-1815. Eric Pouliot-Thisdale analyzed the archives of the historical period from 1786 to 1851 to better understand the role of the Kanehsatake Warriors, often wrongly associated with the militias of Caughnawaga (Kahnawake). While Mohawks participated in the British Crown associated militia against the United States in Lower Canada, many other First Nations also enlisted, such as the Algonquins of Ottawa and St-Maurice, as well as the Abenaki of Saint-François-du-Lac and Bécancour. The conference will review the role of the "battalion of Indians" in the fighting, present the different sub-units of the Warriors and detail several of the conflicts in which they have participated.
Eric Pouliot-Thisdale holds a degree in social sciences (UQAM) and is currently completing his major in history at UQAM. A researcher for 17 years in historical and demographic public archives, including censuses, military archives and parish registers, he has worked for various Band Councils in Quebec and several Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organizations in Canada in historical and sociological matters. He is currently a researcher for the Band Council of his home community, Kanehsatake, a research technician at the Université de Montréal and an independent contributor to Eastern Door, Kahnawake's weekly newspaper. (https://www.easterndoor.com/)
Organized by: Le Cercle des Premières Nations de l'UQAM