Hello and welcome back to my blog. Today I am excited to create my first learning portfolio for our new project “The Manhattan project project”. That isn’t a typo, it’s a project about the famous Manhattan project that lead to the creation of nuclear weapons, fission and reactors. This project is a little different to other projects as there is three keystone ideas. These ideas are the keystone or foundation to this project. The ideas being historical significance, something and something. This post is my dive in to historical significance, why it matters, what it means and how to identify it.

Seeing as though there are many events that are historically significant I want to focus on a Canadian one. To teach about historical significance I will tell you why the battle of Vimy ridge is extremely significant for Canada and how it meets all the criteria for historical significance. Before we start we must also take a look at what the criteria is. For an event to be historically significant it has to be notable, symbolic and it has to have major consequences. It is now time for me to explain why Vimy ridge meets all criteria to become a historically significant event.

Let me set the scene. It’s the middle of WW1 and the allies are slowly but surely pushing Germany and the central powers out of France, Belgium and surrounding countries. Canada has contributed by supplying troops gear and materials to support the British forces. During this time the Canadian corps were tasked to take Vimy ridge from German forces. Under careful preparation and innovative tactics the unified Canadian forces take the ridge and win the battle.

This at the time was a small victory in a massive war. The reason for its significance is because it was the first time Canada fought as a nation. Previously what they fought for was England or the province of origin but this time around they were unified. This starting point for Canadian is summed up perfectly by the quote “They (the Canadians) went up the hill as Quebecois, Albertans, British Columbian’s and Nova Scotians but came down as Canadians.” The initial victory of Canadian forces led to the increased deployment of “Canadian forces” instead of sending different battalions and parts of the army to back up British or other allied forces. At the end of the war with the allied victory Canada was given a seat at the table in surrender negotiations as an independent representative. This was another big event as it showed the world stage recognized Canadian war efforts and wanted them to have an independent opinion than Great Britain.

This recognition of independence from Great Britain if not official started the movement and idea of complete independence. This sense of independence stayed strong in WW2 as they acted independently building their own army and sending their forces where the Canadian army or the allied coalition deemed it necessary. The final step in this journey was to make it official. In 1982 the sitting prime minister, Pierre Trudeau signed a document with the Queen of England (Queen Elizabeth 2) adopting it’s own constitution and cementing itself as a fully independent Nation.

This signing can be traced back to the first time Canada was fought and won independently, the battle of Vimy ridge. This event can be deemed significant because the effect it had on the future of Canadian government and identity. It’s effects are felt today, it has been memorialized through many monuments and even in our Canadian 20 dollar bill. I hope you will look at this evidence provided at also come to the conclusion that the Battle of Vimy Ridge is historically significant and it’s effects are still felt today.

Thank you for reading this blog post and I hope you have a good day.