Fish-Market, Toronto.

Title

Fish-Market, Toronto.

Description

View shows the fish market at the harbour in Toronto, Canada.

c. 1841

Artist

Bentley

Historical Description

The Wyandot called the place Tarantua, derived from tkaronto from the Mohawk language, belonging to the Iroquois. It means place where trees stand by the water and later place of gatherings or meeting place. The current urban area was home to a number of First Nations who lived on the shores of Lake Ontario. At the beginning of European settlement, the Neutrals, so called by the French because they stayed out of wars at that time, lived near Toronto. French merchants founded Fort Rouillé on the site of today's Exhibition Place in 1750, which was demolished as early as 1759. During the American War of Independence, British settlers flocked to the region. In the 18th century, fur trappers used the meeting place quite successfully for their business until British Governor Simcoe had the economic hub converted into a fort, thus founding York in 1793. The settlement was slow to develop; the then seat of government of Upper Canada was still at Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was not until 1797 that York became the capital of Upper Canada. During the British-American War, a battle between the United Kingdom and the United States occurred on 1813. King George IV founded King's College, now known as the University of Toronto, on 1827. In 1841, the British colonies of Lower Canada and Upper Canada became the Province of Canada, whose capital was Toronto from 1849 to 1852 and 1856 to 1858.