Many uninvited guests came to the West to explore, exploit, and eventually shape the area that would come to be known as Alberta. These are the stories of explorers, map-makers, surveyors, fur traders, missionaries, and even whiskey traders who came to Alberta with visions of the new opportunities that awaited them in the West. The narratives of these Mavericks will facilitate student understanding of how the first European settlers affected the future of Alberta.
The Mavericks
David Thompson’s map of Western Canada is a remarkable feat.
Additional Resources
Charlotte Small’s marriage to David Thompson is a powerful reminder that Europeans could not have survived without the help of Indigenous women.
Additional Resources
Donald Watson Davis became the first Member of Parliament representing the Territory of Alberta in Ottawa.
Additional Resources
Aaksistowapaakii: a woman of courage.
Additional Resources
Where could a gentleman with a love of adventure satisfy his curiosity in the mid-1800s? Why, Western Canada!
Additional Resources
Mother Mary Greene began Calgary’s first school.