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A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812 book cover
A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812
John Norton - Teyoninhokarawen
2019
First Published
4.19
Average Rating
392
Number of Pages

A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812 presents the story of John Norton, or Teyoninhokarawen, an important war chief and political figure among the Grand River Haudenosaunee (or Iroquois) in Upper Canada. Norton saw more action during the conflict than almost anyone else, being present at the fall of Detroit; the capture of Fort Niagara; the battles of Queenston Heights, Fort George, Stoney Creek, Chippawa, and Lundy's Lane; the blockades of Fort George and Fort Erie; and a large number of skirmishes and front-line patrols. His memoir describes the fighting, the stresses suffered by indigenous peoples, and the complex relationships between the Haudenosaunee and both their British allies and other First Nations communities. Norton's account, written in 1815 and 1816, provides nearly one-third of the book's content, with the remainder consisting of Carl Benn's introductions and annotations, which enable readers to understand Norton's fascinating autobiography within its historical contexts. With the assistance of modern scholarship, A Mohawk Memoir presents an exceptional opportunity to explore the War of 1812 and native-newcomer issues not only through Teyoninhokarawen's Mohawk perspective but in his own words.

Avg Rating
4.19
Number of Ratings
16
5 STARS
50%
4 STARS
19%
3 STARS
31%
2 STARS
0%
1 STARS
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Author

Carl Benn
Carl Benn
Author · 3 books
Dr Carl Benn has been a member of the Department of History at Ryerson University in Toronto since 2008, where he teaches native-newcomer relations, material culture, and museum studies. Previously, he worked in the museum field for 34 years, latterly as Chief Curator of the City of Toronto Museums and Heritage Services, where he fulfilled senior curatorial and managerial duties, restored historical properties, curated exhibits, and produced other public resources. During that time he also taught part-time at the University of Toronto in undergraduate History and graduate Museum Studies. His books include: Historic Fort York (1993); The Iroquois in the War of 1812 (1998); The War of 1812 (2002); Mohawks on the Nile (2008); Native Memoirs from the War of 1812: Black Hawk and William Apess (2014), and the forthcoming A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812: John Norton – Teyoninhokarawen (2018). His currently is undertaking research for a book on the history of the Royal Ontario Museum. He also has published extensively in journals, online, and in other venues, and has provided historical and curatorial consulting services to First Nations communities, governmental agencies, and other clients in Canada and the United States.
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