ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Coat of arms of Montreal

A coat of arms is like a special picture that represents a city, like Montreal! In the picture, you can see different symbols that tell a story about the city's history and important things.

The coat of arms of Montreal has a really big X in the middle. This is called a "cross of St. George" and it represents the British Empire because Montreal used to be part of it. On the top left corner, there's a symbol with a lion and a rose. The lion is also a symbol of the British Empire, and the rose represents England.

On the top right corner, there's a symbol with a beaver and some fur. The beaver represents Canada because it was an animal that was very important for the fur trade when Montreal was founded. The fur represents the importance of the fur trade for Montreal's economy.

Under the big X in the middle, there's a river that represents the Saint Lawrence River, which is very important for Montreal's history because it's been a main way of transportation for a long time. Finally, there's a green background for the whole picture. This represents the natural beauty of Montreal, with its many parks and trees.

So the coat of arms of Montreal is a special picture that shows us the city's history and important things like the British Empire, Canada's fur trade, the Saint Lawrence River, and the city's natural beauty.
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