HMS Victory

In the summer of 2010, I was on a trip through Portsmouth, England, and went aboard the HMS Victory ship that is preserved as a museum. The Victory was flagship in the battle of Trafalgar, commanded by Lord Nelson.

 

Of course, the battle of Trafalgar (1805) was a pivotal point in the war between England and the combined powers of both Spain and France (Napoleon). 27 British ships defeated 33 French/Spanish ships in the battle due to the superior tactics of Lord Nelson. Nelson himself was wounded and died on the ship. 

This established Britain's supremacy on the sea once and for all, and enabled the expansion of the British Empire at the expense of both the French and Spanish. Shortly thereafter, the British defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. 

How does this relate to Socials 10? Britain's control of the ocean of course affected Canada, because it is always better to be on the winning team. For example, the US quickly decided that invading Canada in 1812 was a poor decision because it meant challenging Britain's naval power in the Atlantic.

One of the 28th

One of the 28th: A Tale of Waterloo

by GA Henty

I just finished reading this book by GA Hentry that I found in the "rare" section of a local used book store. I have previously explained why I enjoy reading stories by Henty.

This particular tale is of a young British lad that is captured by French privateers and carried off to the Indies, escapes and finds his way home, falls into a large inheritance, gets an army commission, and fights in the battle of Waterloo.

Not directly related to Socials 10 content, but is great context for the French/English relationship. It also gives background on the defeat of Napoleon (and the reason that Canada is British instead of French). Of course the language is outdated, and Henty does get a little lost in the minutiae of the battle in the last few chapters, but this was a very enjoyable read.

Here is the amazon link:

A Tale of Waterloo, One of the 28th