The First Nations Peoples in the Northwest

1. The First Nations Peoples in the Northwest Whiskey Trade North West Mountain Police Treaties

2. Whiskey Traders • In the early 1870’s, American fur traders in the Southwest part of the North West Territories. • American fur trade companies were smaller, independent companies. • They traded strong, cheap liquor to the First Nations peoples in return for buffalo robes and other furs.

3. Whoop-Up • Was the principle trading Fort, center of trade that devastated the local First Nations groups. • Liquor trade led to widespread alcoholism among the First Nations peoples. • Malnutrition, disease and death.

5. Firewater • Whiskey today is usually about 40% alcohol. • Firewater is extremely powerful liquor, it was almost pure alcohol. • Distilled from grain in stills. • Its colourless so whiskey traders would add molasses or Tabasco sauce. • It can cause death in even small quantities.

6. North West Mounted Police • 1872 Canadian government decided that the Northwest required some policing. • It feared the loss of territory to the Americans. • NWMP were a police force and a paramilitary (unofficial military organization).

7. NWMP ROLES • #1- Drive out whiskey traders & regain control over the entire North West Territories.

8. CYPRESS HILL MASSACRE • 1874 group of Assiniboin was attacked by a party of whiskey traders on Cypress Hill (Southern Saskatchewan) • 30Assiniboin were killed. • Eastern Canada was outraged. • Sent a force of 300 NWMP to Ft. Whoop-up. • Whiskey traders fled back into the U.S.

9. Treaties with the First-Nations People • Goal of the Canadian Government was to open up the prairies for European settlement. • By the 1870 all the land in the Northwest besides the Selkirk settlement was still held by Aboriginal Nations.

10. Department of Indian Affairs • 1870 Canadian government began negotiating treaties with First Nations people. • Commissioner W. Simpson was sent to talk to the Cree and Saulteaux peoples. • August 1871 Treaty #1 & #2 = peoples of Manitoba had signed away their claim to their traditional homeland.

11. Cree and Saulteaux • Wanted to control about 60 percent of the land in Manitoba. • Simpson offered 160 acres (64.7 hectares) for every family of five. • In return for land the government agreed to give both nations farm equipment, supplies and instruction in farming techniques.

12. Un Kept Promises. • Aboriginal peoples welcomed the idea of becoming farmers. • However, the supplies, tools and animals they were promised never materialized and their standard of living began to decline.

14. Governments Response • Government said it was “unnatural” for these native peoples to use farm machinery, even though it was impossible to grow and harvest wheat without it. • By the end of the 19th century many First Nations peoples on the Prairies abandoned farming and were completely dependent on the Canadian Government.

15. Indian Act 1876 • Confirmed that First- Nations peoples were required to live on reserves. • First-Nations children were to go to “Residential Schools.” • NWMP escorted First Nations onto the reserves.

16. Residential Schools • A school system set up by the Canadian Government and administered by the Catholic Church. • Forcing children to adopt Euro-Canadian and Christian ways of living and assimilating them into mainstream Canadian society. • The Policy became “to kill the Indian in the child”

17. Residential Schools • The system forcibly separated children from their families. • Forbade them to acknowledge their Aboriginal heritage and culture or to speak their own languages. Children were severely punished if these, among other, strict rules were broken. • Former students of residential schools have spoken of horrendous abuse at the hands of residential school staff: physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological

21. When do you think the last Residential School was Closed in Canada?

22. Terms • Paramilitary pg. 181 • Missionaries pg. 182