How many have heard of "The Laurentian Great Lakes"? This one was news to me, discovered while I was retracing the War of 1812 (which was really sort of fought in part in 1811 but mostly from 1812 to 1814 and yet with one final convulsion in early 1815).
Simple enough concept: St. Lawrence river system includes all the BIG lakes, hence they are all "Laurentian." Leave it to Canadian and British folks to spread the word around. Few others will ever get it right -- or care, I suspect.
Anyway, as background in class I'll expand a little on "four who dared" -- Toussaint L'Ouverture, Napoleon Bonaparte, Thomas Jefferson and Tecumseh. Another test next Monday.
Out of the War of 1812 came something else: The US national anthem. It has four stanzas (Americans sing one stanza --at most -- at sporting events, military parades, school functions . . . and leave out the other three. That is because the others are long-winded and "inappropriate.") The original ditty is a surreal little drinking song that includes these lines:
Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
No longer be mute,
I'll lend you my name and inspire you to boot,
And besides I'll instruct you like me, to intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus
With Bacchus' Vine. . .
Today's Rune: Wholeness.
5 comments:
Here's a sample from a global perspecitve . . .
The five Laurentian Great Lakes comprise the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world, holding over 20% of world’s surface freshwater. In addition to numerous streams, rivers, lakes (including pothole and kettle lakes), springs, spring ponds, and wetlands, over 35,000 islands are found within the Great lakes. There are also unique freshwater features, such as Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world; St. Clair River Delta, the largest freshwater river delta in the world; and the most sand dunes of freshwater origin in the world (TNC 2000).
The extensive interior wetlands and sand dune systems, such as Lake Ontario’s Presqu’ile, Lake Erie’s Long Point, Rondeau, and Point Pelee, support unique plant communities on large sand pits. Some of these wetlands are also recognized internationally for their outstanding biological significance, including Long Point and Point Pelee on the north shore of Lake Erie, and the National Wildlife Area on Lake St. Clair. Long Point is designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The Laurentian Great Lakes feed the river not the other way round. Maybe that ocean that the river empties into should be called Michilantic?
I never heard them referred to that way.
But I love it when it's long winded and inappropriate....Eric, ya kill me!
Point Pelee is a wonderful place for birding, too. I can assure you of that. Long Point's very popular for camping. Will there be any mention of the link between Lakes Erie & Ontario, the great & mighty Niagara River?
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