European Settlers C oming to North America and How T hey I mpacted First Nation Peoples

1. European Settlers Coming to North America and How They Impacted First Nation Peoples

2. Fur Trade

3. Before Europeans Came 1500’s: Before Europeans came, there was approximately 18 million First Nation Peoples on Turtle Island, including 53 distinct native languages

4. First Contact First contact was in the early 1700’s:  Diseases such as smallpox, influenza, measles, and even chicken poxprovedto all be deadly to the First Nations Peoples, killing over 75% of their population.

5. Treaty of Paris The Treaty of Paris of 1763 granted the British to take control over land

6. Royal Proclamation The Royal Proclamation of 1763 laid out ground rules for negotiating treaties. It stated that First Nation land rights must be respected, a fair payment must be given when negotiating land. A clear boundary was also made that separated the British from the reserves.

7. Quebec Act The Quebec Act of 1774 allowed the British to diminish fur trapping lands from the First Nation Peoples.

8. War of 1812 The War of 1812 was a war where the First Nation Peoples and the British worked together. Thousands of British and First Nation People were killed.

9. Enfranchisement Enfranchisement of 1859 had First Nation men giving up their status in order to gain full Canadian citizenship. In the case where a man with a family enfranchised, his wife and children would automatically be enfranchised as well.

10. Constitution Act The Constitution Act of 1867 left the First Nation Peoples to only allowing rights on their own land.

11. Indian Act The Indian Act of 1876 declares who an Indian is, their rights as an Indian and what those rights are. It also states that women who marry a non-status man will lose their own status.

12. Treaty 1 & 2 In 1871 Treaty Number One and Two were signed. Aboriginals gave up their land rights to the government of Canada for European settlement in current-day lower Manitoba and South-eastern Saskatchewan forever. In return for giving up these rights, they received: • $5/person, which could be payable in clothing or equipment; $20/chief • Farming tools • Schools on reserve land, whenever desired Aboriginals had topromise they would keep the peace and maintain law and order and never possess any liquor on their reserves.

13. Treaty 6 During Treaty 6, signed in1876, more European settlers were moving onto the Prairies at an alarming rate, and, as they moved westward, they displaced Aboriginals from their land. The buffalo had virtually disappeared from this region as well, and other big game animals like deer were not as plentiful. Therefore, more and more Aboriginals were now facing starvation.

14. Treaty 7 During Treaty 7, signed in 1877, health care aid was minimal. With the lack of medical resources available, more deaths occurred.

15. Child Sweep During the 1960s what is known as the “child sweep” occurred: approximately 16 000 children were adopted into white families.

16. Residential School Late 1800’s to Late 1900’s Residential schools took approximately 150 000 kids with the primary objectives being to isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture. These objectives were based on the assumption Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal. It was infamously said, “to kill the Indian in the child.” Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country.