Canada’s Treatment of the Metis
After the creation of Manitoba the metis did receive all they had asked for in their list but it was not accurate nor fair. They received a scrip which was a piece of paper that gave them either $160 dollars or 160 acres of land and they could choose which. However they did not get to pick where there land was located so it was possible to get a very bad piece of land that wouldn’t grow anything. Also there children land was given out by lottery and would most likely be placed very far away from not only rivers but from their original plot of land. There was much corruption in even the process of giving this land to the metis. The lawyers and other officials in charge of distributing all of this land would take advantage of the metis illiteracy and lower class position and claim the scrip with money or land for themselves.
The laws of st.laurents are some laws that the metis stated for themselves in their community but they still didn’t want to be independent from the Canadian government. It was mostly aimed at the bison hunt and how it is to protect the decline of the bison and how it actually has a large effect on the metis life. Inter colonial Railways divided herds and their migrating pathways making it easier for them to die off.
Law of St.Laurent:
people pick their council to settle disputes
captain of the bison hunt was to stay in charge and regulate.
Another thing to happen to the metis was Lawrence Clark who was very racist towards them, he was working with the Hudson bay company. He was appointed magistrate (officer to enforce Canadian laws) and used it to his advantage to demean upon the metis. Once he arrested a metis leader in an illegal bison hunt which was conducted for the survival of the men.
Battle Of Seven Oaks
Miles McDonnell i believe is to blame for the battle because he was part of the Selkirk settlement in the colonies. When the settlement tried to survive in Canada’s harsh climates they were brought cold and hunger. The metis tried to help them by going them pemmican but they still suffered anyways. Because miles was unhappy with the ways thats things turned out he decided to make a pemmican proclamation stating that no pemmican is to be transported outside of the colony so that the colony does not go without food. He also forbade buffalo hunting where the metis would run the buffalo over a cliff to be able to feed themselves. This would solve the colony and NWC problems but it would ruin the metis family as their lives depended on these practices. So the metis fought back by stealing and setting fire to buildings. The HBC AND NWC fought due to the stealing of each others pemmican and so they fought over petty theft. The battle only lasted 15 min. However this did cause the colonists to leave.
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Aboriginal Questions
How were Aboriginal people depicted in early accounts of the fur trade?
The europeans were superior to the aboriginal people from the European perspective. They were seen as being relied upon by the Europeans. They couldn’t really do anything without the Europeans.
What does newer evidence show to be more accurate about Aboriginals in the fur trade?
Aboriginals were the main people who knew how to hunt for the fur trade and get the proper animals for the furs while to Europeans were lacking in this. Aboriginals had emense trade networks for these furs.
In what ways did Europeans adapt to Aboriginal economic traditions?
They had to trade pelts for pelts and beaver furs were used as “currency” for trading. Aboriginals basically used beaver furs as their currency for other goods.
Why did Europeans have to adapt to Aboriginal commerce?
Because it it was a different way of life than the Europeans way of life so they had to adapt to it.
How would you characterize Cree and Assiniboine economic ability and methods?
They knew how to use the different technologies and things that they could learn from the new fur trade. They could adapt to the fur trade and moved into more land around the Great Lakes to hunt.
After 1670, how did the Cree and Assiniboine show their economic flexibility?
They could transfer the furs to other places to sell more and make more profit instead of having one trading post. Took the furs to the posts for more currency.
How would you describe the Cree and Assiniboine inland trade strategies?
They made sure that other traders or groups could not copy them in ways of trading or currency
How and why did the Aboriginal middlemen’s role change in the late 18th century?
They started to hunt other things instead of beaver because the HBC was making more posts so there was competition. They hunted Buffalo for meat and traded that.
How did the Cree and Assiniboine retain independence from European technologies?
They didn’t use guns or firearms to hunt, instead they hunted as their way of life.
CONFERENCE
Reporting from Charlotte town conference: September 1st 1864
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, And prince Edward Island are contemplating today over whether the Maritimes should unite. Delegates have been appointed, but no further plans are to be made until the province of Canada has heard, about the final proposal of this conference today. People from this mixed legislate have asked, permission to sit at the meetings, for their colonies in order to bring up the subject of British North American union. Something they see as a solution to their difficulties. New found land was unfortunately not able to discuss at this conference today due to disorganization. Robert Dickey and Charles Tupper arrived on the same day. Yesterday august thirty first. John a McDonald presented his argument in favor of the union. George brown talked about what the united government might take to prospect. There was a lunch and sea-side excursions.
Reporting at the Quebec conference: October tenth 1864
This is the second conference after the charlotte town. This time new found land will be at this conference. If this conference goes well a constitutional proposal will be brought forth. This conference takes place in an amazing building. There were many beautiful views and plains in front of the building. The weather is said to be horrible. Cloudy and very rainy.
Reporting from the London conference: December 41866
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have passed union resolutions, as well as Quebec and Toronto. The British North America act was to begin. This conference took place in the New Westminster palace. The London conference resolutions was sent to the colonial office. The delegates went with British officials in order to finalize the text of the BNA act. Choosing Canada as the new country name. There was a large discussion as to whether they should name Canada kingdom or dominion but they overall went with dominion as they felt it was less powerful. The completed text was done in 1867. It was submitted to the queen in February.
Guiding Questions: Aboriginal Fur Trade
Guiding Questions for Aboriginal Fur Trade:
- How were Aboriginal people depicted in early accounts of the fur trade?
They were often portrayed as to have minor roles and becoming obsessed with European hunting technology and becoming useless without it. Also said that would have starved without the help of the travellers and begged for their help.
- What does newer evidence show to be more accurate about Aboriginals in the fur trade?
That in contrast to the early depictions it was the complete reverse, the aboriginals were keeping the Europeans alive. Keeping them alive by hunting, fishing for them.
- In what ways did Europeans adapt to Aboriginal economic traditions?
They had to learn of their culture, language, and lifeways. The Europeans had to work and understand the aboriginals as they had been there hunting long before the Europeans came along.
- Why did Europeans have to adapt to Aboriginal commerce?
They had to adapt and learn of the aboriginal barter system because they knew more of it than the Europeans themselves. The aboriginals cared about beaver skin amount not standards and so the Europeans had to learn.
- How would you characterize Cree and Assiniboine economic ability and methods?
Both were very flexible with change whether it be with technology or their habitat. This made it easier for them to be able to accept HBC and their trading ways.
- After 1670, how did the Cree and Assiniboine show their economic flexibility?
They both took the position of middle men in HBC. They expanded their fur trade with the help of Europeans into the northwest.
- How would you describe the Cree and Assiniboine inland trade strategies?
They were smart and took positions near the York factory. They held the “upper hand” in the trade and controlled most of the trading rules. They traded with independent groups inland also. They also traded a lot with the French.
- How and why did the Aboriginal middlemen’s role change in the late 18th century?
HBC started to make more posts to trade inland making it harder for the aboriginals to hold a higher rank than them in the trading business. So they began to focus on the plain resources and buffalo. They switched their trade to dried meat.
- How did the Cree and Assiniboine retain independence from European technologies?
Hunting buffalo kept them separate from the Europeans. They didn’t use guns to kill the buffalo nor any other western arms.