Then and Now: Legacies of Early Societies and Your Inquiry

Putting it all together

You have visited the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, the Thule and Inuit, ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, ancient China, the Maya, ancient Greece, medieval Europe and the Mali Empire. Now it's time to compare them with life in Canada today, find what they left us, and do your own inquiry.

How young people lived

• In most early societies, children worked from a young age: farming, fetching water, caring for younger children, learning crafts.
• School was usually only for a few, often boys from wealthy families (Egyptian scribes, Athenian boys, medieval nobles and monks).
• In First Nations and Inuit societies, children learned by watching, listening and helping Elders and family, and through stories and games like lacrosse and string games.
• Your social class often decided your whole life.

Today in Canada: all children have the right to go to school. Laws protect children from dangerous work. You can choose many different jobs when you grow up.

Relationships with the environment

Think about these comparisons between many early societies and Canada today:

• Seasons: early societies lived by the seasons: the Nile flood, the Anishinaabe seasonal round, Arctic ice. Today, many Canadians can buy strawberries in winter, but we still notice seasons: snow tires, maple syrup, summer camping.
• Local resources: early societies used what was nearby: birch bark, whale bone, mud brick, elm bark. Today our food and goods often travel thousands of kilometres.
• Waste: in medieval towns, garbage and sewage were often thrown into the streets, which spread disease. Inuit and First Nations used almost every part of an animal. Today, Canada has sewers, garbage pickup and recycling, but we also make a lot of waste.
• Beliefs: many First Nations and Inuit teachings say to respect the land and take only what you need, for future generations. Many Canadians today are learning from these teachings to protect the environment.

Your inquiry: the steps

1. Ask a question about ways of life and the environment. Example: How did the environment shape homes in early societies?
2. Gather information from different sources: these lessons, library books, museum websites (with a grown-up), and, if possible, a visit or talk with a knowledge keeper or Elder.
3. Organize it in a chart, T-chart, Venn diagram or map.
4. Analyse (think about) it: what patterns do you see?
5. Conclude: answer your question using evidence.
6. Communicate: share it in a poster, an annotated map, a short talk or a slideshow, using the right vocabulary.