User:Pshar/sandbox

LIB 2002 – Assignment 1
These are the articles I have considered for my main project

“Bonsai.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 Sept 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.
 * Bonsai

“The Ancient Art of Bonsai.” The Time-Life Encyclopedia of Gardening. 13 vols. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books Incorporated, 1979. Print.

"Bonsai." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.


 * Lower Canada

“Lower Canada.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 Sept 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.

“Lower Canada.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. 4 vols. Edmonton, Alberta: Hurtig Publishers Limited, 1988. Print.


 * Seigneurial system of New France

“Seigneurial system of New France.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Sept 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.

“Seigneurial System.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. 4 vols. Edmonton, Alberta: Hurtig Publishers Limited, 1988. Print.


 * Sikhism

“Sikhism.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Sept 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.

“Sikhism.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. 4 vols. Edmonton, Alberta: Hurtig Publishers Limited, 1988. Print.

"Sikhism." International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family. 2003. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.

Two of the articles that I have considered for my main project are topics I studied during my undergrad; Lower Canada, and the seigneurial system of New France.

I considered Bonsai because I have always held an interest in gardening, and one method of gardening that has always appealed to me has been bonsai. I have visited wikipedia’s bonsai page in the past, for a brief history and also to view images of these plants. My mother also owns a very interesting plant encyclopedia, of which an entire volume is dedicated to bonsai and miniatures, and is an excellent resource.

I chose Sikhism as my final option because I recently attended a Sikh wedding, and it was the first time I attended a Sikh ceremony. Leading up to it, I did a bit of research to round out my knowledge of the religious customs of Sikh people. Although I am not particularly religious, I do have a personal goal to learn the fundamentals of major religions to better understand their practices and history.

Research for this assignment has reinforced my perception that Wikipedia is an excellent resource for preliminary research, but does not compare to more authoritative texts on subjects. Interestingly, several of the articles available on were less detailed than Wikipedia itself, which indicates the advantage of each user being able to contribute to the database.

I would like to note that I am aware my citations are not indented. When I attempted to indent the lower line, they previewed as quotation boxes. Hopefully I will have resolved this issue by the time assignment two is due.

LIB 2002 - Assignment 2, The Seigneurial System of New France
For my second assignment, I have elected to focus on the wikipedia article on the seigneurial system of New France. Rather than a comparison of the piece, I will provide a critical analysis of its existing content, and propose suggestions for its improvement through revision of its existing content and the addition of further citations and references. For the purposes of this paper I will be using the terms primary and secondary source in a history context. Primary meaning a document that existed during the time period, and secondary being a book or article that was created afterward, often providing historical context or analysis.

The wikipedia article entitled Seigneurial system of New France provides readers with a brief description of how land was distributed to colonists in much of New France between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The article suffers from two major flaws; it is written in without great detail, and it suffers from a gross lack of citation. A total of just four endnotes are referenced in the entire page; the first in the introductory sentence, and the remaining three in a single sentence later in the article. The piece provides adequate information for those who seek a general understanding of the system, but there is much more information that can be contributed to it. The main body of the article is divided into four main sections: introduction, after British conquest, abolition, and historical evidence. References and suggested reading are also divided into four subsections; notes, see also, references, and external links. Suggestions for improvements will be made in the order that the headings appear.

The “abolition” section is extremely brief, only addressing the 1854 act that declared the abolition of feudal rights and duties in Lower Canada. In fact, there were acts being written addressing this issue as early as 1825, which were amalgamated in 1858. This section is perhaps the most frustrating because of its complete lack of citation. The first paragraph states that Lord Elgin assented to the 1854 act for the abolition of feudal rights and duties in Lower Canada, which was brought into effect on December 18th of that year. There is no documented act that can corroborate this statement. In fact, the 1854 act was received and read for the first time on October 20, 2012. The statement on wikipedia must be adjusted and citations of the acts provided. Mention of the acts written before the final abolition in 1854 should also be included to demonstrate that the process was not a single decision. Rather, the move to abolish the seigneurial system came from decades of legal maneuvering on behalf of the Province of Canada. These footnotes should also include secondary sources [such as] that provide contextual analysis for the resolution to abolish these systems would also be beneficial.

Though it is a minor point, the “historical evidence” heading should be renamed. The seigneurial system has been abolished for more than 150 years, making all of the evidence contributed to the article “historical”. A more accurate name would be “historical remnants”, as this section describes how the seigneurial system has left a perceivable mark on physical landscape still visible today. Again in this section, there are no citations. The addition of footnotes would significantly bolster the “historical” section. Included in this section is a comparison of the patroon system established by the Dutch West India Company. As it is currently written, the inclusion of the patroon system is irrelevant to the rest of the article. However, if there is still remnant evidence of the patroon system, then its inclusion would be acceptable, with the addition of footnotes.

The notes and references provided in the article are academically sound works, but exist in more contemporary formats. Two clear examples of this are the Canadian encyclopedia article on the seigneurial system, which was last referenced in 2007, and Richard C Harris’ “The Seigneurial System in Early Canada, A Geographical Survey”. The geographical survey has proved to be a fundamental article on the subject, but has received criticism from historians since its publication in 1966. This work remains an excellent resource for anyone researching the subject, but would be better referenced as a more recent reprinting with a foreword providing criticism of its historical analysis. Referencing the piece as it was originally written creates the risk of allowing the unknowing reader to accept Harris’ social and historical analysis without the understanding that the author is a geologist first, and historian second. Though this article should still be cited, and it would be more effective to reference its 1984 publication, which includes a new preface addressing this issue.

Wikipedia has this article flagged as lacking citations and verification. It is largely undeveloped and provides only the most general of knowledge on the the seigneurial system of New France. In addition to the editions already mentioned, the following sources would provide excellent supplementary footnotes, references, and external links. These sources will provide readers with verification of statements made in the article, and reputable sources for continued research.

Works Cited

Aresneault, Pauline, et al. 'New France New Horizons.' Library and Archives Canada. Web. November 1, 2012.

Bessière, Arnaud. 'Virtual Museum of New France.' ''Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation.'' Web. November 1, 2012.

Canada. An Act to Amend the Acts Relating to the Abolition of Feudal Rights and Duties in Lower Canada. Toronto: S. Derishire & G. Desbarats, 1858. Early Canada Online. Web. November 1, 2012.

Canada. An Act to define and limit Seigniorial Rights, to facilitate the redemption thereof, and to abolish all lods et ventes or fines upon the mutation of lands held en roture in Lower Canada. 1854. Early Canada Online. Web. November 1, 2012.

Canada. An Act to provide for the extinction of Feudal and Seigniorial Rights and burthens on Lands Held à titre de cens in the Province of Lower Canada: And for the gradual conversion of those tenures into the tenure of free and common soccage, and for other purposes relating to the said Province. [1825?]. Early Canada Online. Web. November 1, 2012.

Cole, Harris R. The Seigneurial System in Early Canada: A Geographical Study, with A New Preface. Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1984. Early Canada Online. Web. November 1, 2012.

Library of Congress. 'France in America.' Library of Congress. Web. November 1, 2012.

Robert Jean-Claude. 'Pioneers and Immigrants: New France (1608-1763), The Seigneurial System (1627-1854).' Canada in the Making. Web. November 1, 2012.

Stanley, George F. G. New France: The Last Phase, 1744-1760. Vol. 5. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1968. Print.

Trudel, Marcl. ''The Beginnings of New France, 1524-1663'.' Vol. 3. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1973. Print.