The North West Territories

Transcription

1 The North West Territories Opening the West to Settlement: The Treaty Process

2 A. Background Canadian Government wanting to open Prairies to European/Canadian settlers Need to come to agreement with First Nations about land ownership The Métis wanted to make sure that the settlement of the plains would be peaceful and that injustices would not be committed similar to what was happening during the settlement of the American West

3 Treaty = a legal agreement between peoples and/or governments, often involving land Canadian government had to persuade Native peoples to give up their rights to land to ensure peaceful settlement Eleven treaties were made between 1871 and 1921 These are referred to by their number and are therefore called The Numbered Treaties In return for signing, the government promised to build schools on reservations, and provide farming tools Think: Why would the government want Native Peoples to take up farming?

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6 A. Background (cont.) Remember: at this time, the buffalo were nearing extinction, threatening the lives of the Native Peoples with starvation Native people were growing angry that their independence was threatened by the government and settlers

7 B. Why did Native Groups Sign Treaties? 1. The buffalo were disappearing there was a massive market for buffalo materials You could get $2 per hide from leather manufacturers Example: J.A. Gaff claimed to have killed 5200 in one year farmers did not like buffalo - why? railroads impacted buffalo they were almost extinct in just 10 years!

8 Charles Rath, famous buffalo hunter, seated on rick of 40,000 hides in Robert Wright's Dodge City hide yard in 1878, with M.W. (Doc) Anchutz (in white shirt, back). FCHS.

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10 Buffalo shooting was a sport for train passengers.

11 B. Why did Native Groups Sign Treaties? 2. Increase in settlement settlers taking up Native hunting lands 3. European disease impacted Native populations In , there were probably Native peoples by 1880, there were only about left Alcohol, malnutrition left Native Peoples very susceptible to diseases

12 C. The Treaties Treaty 1 The Cree and Anishinabe give up vast areas of Manitoba in return for 65ha per family, a small yearly payment and food Not a good offer, but the only one made On one treaty, the Cree gave up 350,000km 2 of land. In return, they were given military uniforms every 3 years and silver medals (as well as farming tools).

13 D. Treaty Number 7 an Example (October 1877)

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15 The powerful Blackfoot Confederacy gave up km2 of land they selected 320 km for their reserve on the Bow River in Alberta Payments for Treaty Seven 10 head chiefs $25 each 40 minor chiefs and headmen $15 each 4342 men, women and children $12 each

16 Promises Made by the Blackfoot Gave up about km2 To strictly observe the treaty To be loyal subjects to the Queen Promises Made by the Government Natives got to maintain hunting rights 2.59km2 of reserve land for every 5 persons Money, tools, ammunition, clothing, small yearly payments To obey laws and keep peace Teachers to teach Native children how to read Not to harm people or property To bring justice to Native criminals

17 E. Treaties Bring Change There is a debate among historians: Did the Blackfoot really understand what they were doing? Many Native people strongly believe that the land belongs to everybody, nobody can own these things, they are given to all Therefore many Native people, according to their religious beliefs, were sharing these things with everybody else

18 Many Native people thought that this was an agreement of friendship, not the transfer of land they had no history or experience with the notion of legal land title 1880s: severe droughts on the prairies made it difficult for the Native people to take up farming Many government agents cheated the Natives and kept supplies for themselves

19 F. Other Native Claims Many Natives of Quebec, British Columbia and much of the current Northwest Territories never signed a treaty but lost their land anyway As a result their aboriginal and legal rights to lands are still intact as affirmed by law and the Supreme Court of Canada There are some modern settlements taking place There is also much tension in Canadian society as a result