A short history of Toronto

Hello everyone,
ToRONTO if you are a visitor or TAronto if you are local. Either way, it is the centre of the universe in Canada. HA HA. Thought that would get you guys going outside of the Big Smoke! The capital of Ontario that has approximately 5 million die hard...and I do mean die hard...Leaf fans/sufferers. At least it gets us talking about something different than the weather though.
Over 11,000 years ago people miagrated south after the ice age to land on the north shores of Lake Ontario. The Indian tribes of the Huron, Petun and Iroquois tribes lived in the area but not always harmoniously. In 1608, a french explorer by the name of Etienne Brule, that was part of Samuel Champlain's expedition group, stood on the shore of Lake Ontario. Toronto was a series of trials and waterways the led from the west and north of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and it was called the "Toronto Passage" or "Toronto Carrying Place". It was populated by the Hurons and Petun tribes until they withdrew to the south shores of Georgian Bay due to the invasion and conflicts with the Iroquois and the disease the Europeans had brought with them. The Iroquois took over the north shore of Lake Ontario until the French defeated them and the land was then taken over by the Mississaugas.
A village then began to grow on the East bank of the Humber River near today what we would call the "Old Mill" area of Toronto. The Humber River was an important part of the Toronto Passage because it was an important short cut between Lake Ontario and the upper Great Lakes. This village was called "Teiaiagon" and it was the meeting place for the French from the East, Indians from the north and the English from the south. However, over the years battles develop for control of the land and the expanding fur trade. The 7 Years War in Europe between the English and French from 1756-1763 was a result of these conflicts in North America. In 1760 though, the British rule was finally complete and the French withdrew from the area.
In 1787, a British Commandar named Lord Dorchester negotiated the "Toronto Purchase" which gave 14 miles of land along the shores of Lake Ontario which today would represent Scarborough to Etobicoke and 30 miles inland. The "Toronto Purchase" represent 250,000 hectres of land and in return the Mississaugas received 1700 pounds sterling and some goods. In 1793 the town of "York" was named on then Upper Canada and the city of Toronto was formed in 1834. In 1793, the Lieutenant-Govenor, John Grave Simcoe established a post to protect the area from a potential American invasion. He moved the capital from the village of Niagara to Toronto and the town of York grew slowly. In 1814 the town had a population of 720 people and had been under attack and occupation from the Americans in the War of 1812 however...we won. The town grew rapidly after 1815 due to the expanding role it had in trade and transportation. In 1834, 9,250 people and less than 20 years later the population exploded to 30,775 people. This was the eve to the birth of our railroads. A rebellion in 1837-1838 severely divided the city and disease such as cholera and typhus struck the people and the economy from 1832-1848. In 1901 the population was 208,000 and when World War One was declared many from this area went off to Europe. By 1941, again with many from the area off in World War Two the population was then 667,500. After WW2 Toronto began to rivel Montreal as the cultural and commerce capital of Canada and the population of Toronto passed Montreal in 1976. By 2001 152 languages and dialects are spoken in Toronto with relative peace existance when you look at other cities in the world. It is truly one of the most multi-cultural cities you can find anywhere and to me...it is home.