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Laura Secord Facts & Worksheets

Laura Secord is a Canadian symbol of bravery and heroism. She is best known for her work in warning the British Army about an oncoming American attack in 1813.

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Laura Secord is a Canadian symbol of bravery and heroism. She is best known for her work in warning the British Army about an oncoming American attack in 1813.

See the fact file below for more information on the Laura Secord or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Laura Secord worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND & HISTORY

  • The work of Laura Secord was not well known or acknowledged until after her death on October 18, 1868.
  • While her home in Queenston, Ontario, was occupied by American soldiers, Laura Secord learned of the oncoming American attack.
  • Laura had to make the difficult decision of whether or not to keep the information about the American attack to herself or to walk for 19 miles to warn the British Army.
  • Laura chose to warn the British and walked for 18 hours through American-occupied territory wearing only house slippers.
  • Laura Secord was born on September 13, 1775 in the town of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
  • She best known for her role in warning the British army about an American attack.
  • At the time of her birth, Massachusetts was still under the control of the British. Many of the British Loyalists residing there were attacked by the American soldiers.
  • Laura was the daughter of Thomas Ingersoll and Elizabeth Dewey.
  • Laura’s father Thomas was a prominent figure in the United Empire Loyalist movement and the American Revolutionary War.
  • Laura married a wealthy Frenchman named James Secord. They were believed to have been married in 1797 and had six children together.
  • After the death of her husband James on February 22, 1841, Laura was left without any money or assistance.
  • Without many options, Laura moved to a red brick home in Chippawa. She resided there for the rest of her life with her daughter Harriet and her two children. This home is now used as a tourist attraction.
  • Laura Secord died on October 17, 1868, at 93 years old.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The last name Secord was changed from its original French name D’Secor or Sicar.
  • There is a famous chocolate company named after Laura Secord.
  • Laura Secord is a representation of bravery in Canadian history and an inspiration for feminists all over the world.

THE TREK OF LAURA SECORD

  • In 1813, Laura was living in a small town called Queenston, close to Niagara Falls.
  • The town came under American control. Laura and her husband were forced to provide food and housing for the American soldiers.
  • While under occupation, Laura gained knowledge of a planned American attack on the “DeCew House”, where the British army was stationed at the time.
  • Laura had to make the difficult decision of whether to keep the information to herself, or to try to warn the British Army.
  • On June 21, 1813, Laura began her long and difficult journey through American-occupied territory. She travelled 19 miles and walked for 18 hours through fields, roads, and woods wearing only house slippers.
  • Laura’s niece Elizabeth started the journey with her but left a few hours later.
  • In the evening she found a band of Iroquois warriors, allies of the British at that time. At first the Iroquois were suspicious as they thought Laura might be an American spy.
  • Laura insisted that the Iroquois people bring her directly to the captain of the British army, James FitzGibbon. Once they realized she was a friend and not a spy, they did as she wished.
  • Laura told the captain that an army of 500 American soldiers were planning to attack. Thanks to her advanced warning, FitzGibbon was able to devise a surprise attack on the Americans.
  • The battle took place on June 24, 1813 and is known as “The Battle of Beaver Dams”.

DID YOU KNOW?

RECOGNITION & LATER LIFE

  • Although Laura Secord helped play a vital role in the War of the Beaver Dams in the War of 1812, she was not given recognition for her bravery.
  • Instead the British general at the time, FitzGibbon, took all the glory.
  • After the death of her husband left her penniless in 1841, Laura lived a difficult life in poverty.
  • In 1860 she wrote to the Prince of Wales, Edward VII, and told him of her heroic act in 1813. She was 85 years old at the time.
  • The Prince agreed to meet with her and upon their visit he awarded her £100. Today this would be worth around $10,000.
  • Laura’s work today is well known and recorded by historians.
  • Upon her death Laura was buried beside her husband at the Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls.

THE LEGACY TODAY

  • Laura’s reputation and fame grew after her death in 1868. A great deal of interest arose after her autobiography was written by William Coffin.
  • It was noted that William Coffin included fictitious accounts in his autobiography. One account included an attack on Laura by a group of Mohawk First Nations.
  • A popular play portraying the work of Laura Secord was made by Sarah Anne Curzon, as a tribute to Laura’s work.
  • The company Laura Secord Chocolates, created in 1913, was named after Laura Secord to commemorate her acts of heroism.
  • Today there are commemorative portraits of Laura hung in the parliament buildings in Toronto, Canada. There is also a large statue of her displayed in front of the Valiants Memorial in Ottawa, Canada.
  • Laura’s former childhood home and birthplace has now been turned into a library. There is a plaque dedicated to Laura outside this library.
  • The plaque was placed in front of the library on October 18, 1997 by the The Great Barrington Historic District Commission.
  • The Great Barrington Historic District Commission also named October 18, 1997 as the official “Laura Secord Day”.

Laura Secord Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Laura Secord across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Laura Secord worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Laura Secord who is a Canadian symbol of bravery and heroism. She is best known for her work in warning the British Army about an oncoming American attack in 1813.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Laura Secord Facts
  • Opinion Piece
  • Fact or Myth?
  • Forgotten Wordsearch
  • Design a Stamp
  • Fill in the Blank
  • Our Five Senses
  • Interview with Laura Secord
  • Word Scramble
  • Secord Acrostic
  • Heritage Minutes

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Link will appear as Laura Secord Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 26, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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