Resource: The Canadian Letters & Images
Project
http://canadianletters.ca/index.php
Site Summary
Struggling for primary resources? Want to demonstrate to your students what it was really like
during war, but can find first-hand accounts? Well, this is the site for you. The Canadian
Letters and Images Project is an online archive of letters, photos and personal items of
Canadians who have experienced war. The site was started in August 2000 by the Department
of History at Vancouver Island University, as a means to keep a permanent online archive of
'ordinary' Canadians’ experiences on the battlefront and homefront. If you are interested in
finding out more about how this project was started and works, I encourage you to watch this
short YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/CdnLetters.
This user-friendly site takes thousands of personal items
like letters and photographs, and organizes them into six
collections:
i. Pre-1914
ii. WWI
iii. WWII
iv. Korea
v. Post Korea
vi. Special Items
Under the six collections, the files are categorized by
individuals. There is also a handy search feature where
you can scan the collections using keywords.
Resource Report Card
Does this site deliver in four areas: supports diversity, promotes critical thinking, engages
learners and provides historical value? Let’s look at evidence and where teachers have
opportunities to ‘bump-up’ their value:
Supports Diversity: Reflects diverse histories, interpretations or perspectives B-
Evidence Bump-Up Potential?
Original documents are scanned in its entirety. If there is Bump-up potential for teachers is
a transcript, it is for readability ease only with the original limited, unless they have items
scan also available online. The merit or historical value themselves that can be donated.
is not judged by the individuals who post these items.
Could encourage students to speak
Because items are donated, awareness of this site is an to their family members and friends
issue, as only those who individuals who have heard of about whether they have anything
the site will send in their originals to the Project for that can be donated and to submit
scanning and archiving. As the posted items are it. Demonstrate the value in losing
available to the general public, it may also deter those all of these personal accounts of
who can donate to do so. wartime efforts.
Promotes Critical Thinking: Explicitly asks questions or frames tasks that invite critical A
thinking
Evidence Bump-Up Potential?
Too often the story told of Canada at war has been one Teachers can download letters and
of great battles and great individuals, an approach that photographs from the same event
unfortunately misses the 'ordinary' Canadian and the from different perspectives and
richness of their wartime experience. This site provides a critically analyze the similarities and
voice for those individuals. differences.
While one letter or photograph may by itself seem This could also work for debate
insignificant, in combination with the multitude of other preparations.
materials found it helps to tell a more inclusive story.
And its a tribute to Canadians who have participated in
war, and is a means of preserving items before they are
forever lost or destroyed.
Engaging for Learners: Likely to be engaging for high school students with varying needs A-
and abilities
Evidence Bump-Up Potential?
As this site contains photographs, scanned original Access to the internet and
letters and transcribed letters, different items can be resolution quality of the visuals
used by various learners and support a variety of student online may be an issue for some
needs. students, depending on their
computer systems.
It is important to note the authenticity of the items posted.
Any items that were received after July 1, 2003 were
scanned not only as jpegs for the web site but also
scanned as high resolution tiffs for future preservation.
Historical Value: Useful for particular courses B-
Evidence Bump-Up Potential?
As this site has collections from pre-1914, WWI, WWII, Few items are posted in the pre-
and Korea it would be useful for Grade 10 Canadian 1914 and Korea collections at this
History Since World War (CHC2D) and Grade 12 time. Teacher will need to find
Canada: History, Identity and Culture (CHI4U). additional resources for these time
periods.
The collections are especially robust for both World
Wars.
Overall Grade: B
If you are looking for primary resources that give first-hand accounts of how the ‘ordinary’
Canadian experienced the World Wars, this is a great starting place. I highly recommend this
site.