final exam essay 1 for real Flashcards
(33 cards)
Settler colonialism shaped (Carter)
Canadian politics
Rupert’s Land (Carter)
Although “Rupert’s Land” was to be absorbed by the new Dominion of Canada with Indigenous people recognized as having property rights, Canada proceeded as if it were sovereign
By claiming Indigenous people conquered by wilderness (Carter)
gives settlers excuse to come in and cultivate land the way they want
Idea came from late 19th century, the Plains people were cast as “thoughtlessly, carelessly living on the surface”
Existence of Indigenous farmers problem to settlers (Carter)
settlers created false narrative to say that they could be enfranchised
A lot of corruption in the government (Carter)
Indigenous people never really able to secure property rights
Bureaucratic regime makes land hard to access for Indigenous people
Property regime created and way administered allowed Indigenous land base to decrease rather to increase
Indigenous people seen as fixed in a sort of culture (Carter)
but evidence we have is that they adapt, embrace elements of agricultural economy, but not allowed to succeed by government
Dawson’s book “Sketches of the Past and Present”
world view that euro-canadians saw indigenous people disappearing was a natural consequence from expanding civilization
Numbered treaties
1871-1877
Treaties seen as necessary by gov officials → mechanism to ensure land
Indigenous people → want commitments in treaties to be lived up to
Treaty 1
Canadians made false promises, told Indigenous people that surrendered land would remain available for fishing/hunter and land for their children would be kept further west
Gov failed to admit it breached agreement
Period of extreme tension (Daschuk)
Famine (lack of bison), epidemic, and hostility between groups
Different expectations in land claims that gov was making (Daschuk)
For Indigenous people, negotiations in good faith, for gov, negotiations so they can have the land they want
Changes in the Prairie West in 1870s
transition to economy based on land and agriculture, and role of gov in bringing about transition to agricultural economy
Dominion land act of 1872
Land would be surveyed and subdivided and made available for settlers
Indigenous people as residents of prairie were not able to acquire land from dominion land act
Settlement seen as important economic policy that will generate agricultural economy linked to central and eastern Canada
NW Resistance date
1885
Railway booms in mid 19th century
Money to be made around construction of CPR
Private company but heavily funded by government (company exempted from tariffs, given land grant, competing railway could not be built next to it for 20 years)
Longest railway in the world at the time it was built
Building of these railways, specifically CPR, helped cause “clearing of the plains” of Indigenous people
CPR was an important factor in Macdonald’s efforts to compel Indigenous peoples to sign treaties
MacDonald withholding food to
pressure Indigenous people to adhere to treaties
Worsening conditions on plains
Collapse of the bison herds and widespread starvation
2 efforts to reduce expenses and to leverage starvation to achieve political means
MacDonald removed a large group of Cree from Assiniboine region
Withholds food rations until treaties are signed
–> Ethnic cleansing
Leads to environment where
Armed resistance is seen as only option
Cree leaders were not completely on board with the armed resistance
Provisional government declared on
south Saskatchewan River, Riel invited from his exile
Total for of ____ is raised
8000
Series of battles
Example: violence at Frog Lake, Metis attack settlers and there are fatalities
Canadian government dispatches a militia force almost right away
was possible due to the railway which expedited transportation
