The Maple Leaf
Well before the coming of the first European
settlers, Canada's aboriginal peoples had discovered the food
properties of maple sap, which they gathered every spring.
According to many historians, the maple leaf began to serve
as a Canadian symbol as early as 1700.
In 1834, the first St. Jean Baptiste Society
in North America made the maple leaf its emblem.
In 1836, Le Canadien, a newspaper published
in Lower Canada, referred to it as a suitable emblem for Canada.
In 1848, the Toronto literary annual The
Maple Leaf referred to it as the chosen emblem of Canada.
By 1860, the maple leaf was incorporated into the badge of
the 100th Regiment (Royal Canadians) and was used extensively
in decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales that year.
Alexander Muir wrote The Maple Leaf Forever
as Canada's confederation song in 1867; it was regarded as
the national song for several decades. The coats of arms created
the next year for Ontario and Quebec both included the maple
leaf.
The maple leaf today appears on the penny.
However, between 1876 and 1901, it appeared on all Canadian
coins. The modern one-cent piece has two maple leaves on a
common twig, a design that has gone almost unchanged since
1937.
During the First World War, the maple leaf
was included in the badge of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Since 1921, the Royal Arms of Canada have included three maple
leaves as a distinctive Canadian emblem. With the proclamation
of Canada's new flag in 1965, the maple leaf has become the
most-prominent Canadian symbol.
In 1939, at the time of World War II, many
Canadian troops used the maple leaf as a distinctive sign,
displaying it on regimental badges and Canadian army and naval
equipment.
In 1957, the colour of the maple leaves on
the arms of Canada was changed from green to red, one of Canada's
official colours.
On February 15, 1965, the red maple leaf
flag was inaugurated as the National Flag of Canada.
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