Worlds Turned Upside Down Episode 7: The Divide
May 2, 2024
Explore the ambitious efforts to map North America as Britain sought to reorder its colonies post-war. Delve into the imaginary boundaries drawn and the military standards for surveying. Hear about the role of the Haudenosaunee in negotiations and the complexities of colonial resistance. Discover how Native leaders pragmatically navigated land sales and the ramifications of treaties like Fort Niagara. The podcast paints a vivid picture of diplomacy, boundary-making, and the clash of cultures in this transformative era.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Survey Lines Still Shape Island Roads
- Holland's plane table surveys left a lasting imprint: Prince Edward Island roads still follow his township angles.
- The Board of Trade auctioned townships to well-connected Britons who promised to recruit settlers and develop them.
Proclamation Redefined Indigenous Sovereignty
- The Royal Proclamation reframed indigenous nations as political entities whose lands the Crown would reserve and manage.
- That policy centralized land purchases to the Crown and sidelined colonial and private land claims.
Fort Niagara Restores the Covenant
- The Treaty of Fort Niagara (1764) had many nations accept the Proclamation and renewed trade and peace terms.
- The Seneca gave a four-mile strip along the Niagara River to the British as part of restoring the covenant chain.
