A Day in the Life of a Militia Soldier at Fort York

Today, students spent the day learning about early life at Fort York. They explored:

1) The barracks for the soldiers (two to a bed!)

2) Diet of a soldier.

3) Difference between a private and an officer

4) Canon and canon balls

5) How to fire a musket

6) The geography of the old City of York (Toronto) and how the  lake used to come right up the fort. Now it has been filled in with landfill, much of it from the Yonge and Bloor line subway digging in the 1930s.

7) How to march like soldier with wooden muskets.

8) History of the era between 1800 and 1815, including the War of 1812 where The British repelled the invasion of Canada from the Americans.

Excited 'recruits'.

Fort York on the shores of Lake Ontario in 1812.

Dressed in uniform

Ready for action!

Lunch time break.

The cannon was very popular.

Raw recruits...very raw recruits.

How to hold a musket in battle.

The Battle for Fort York. (Americans in blue, the British in red.

Our illustrious guide, Mike.

Chilling before the journey back to school.

Mike demonstrating how to fire a musket.