Midterm Review

Question 1

Ancient people

Answer 1

Palaeo period, 13,500 – 10,000 BP

Question 2

Not so recent people

Answer 2

Archaic period, 10,000 – 3,150BP

Question 3

Recent people

Answer 3

Woodland period, early European contact, 3,150 – 500

Question 4

Today’s people

Answer 4

Early European contact and colonial era traditions, 500 – Present day

Question 5

Historical Relationship

Answer 5

• Established that the Mi’kmaq occupied well defined sites year after year
• Early research disregards these identified areas as well as early Mi’kmaq governance structures

Question 6

Effective Settlement

Answer 6

A euro centric idea based on the assumption that the first group to sustain a viable settlement in an area establishes characteristics of crucial significance for the later social and cultural geography of an area.

Question 7

Cultural Landscape

Answer 7

The interaction of humans with their environment that includes basic elements of location and movement. It is about the organization of space, time, place and meaning.

Question 8

The Mi’kmaq cultural landscape

Answer 8

Identifies us as one group of people and gives us a sense of identity and belonging. The common denominator that makes humans form an attachment to land is how they identify within landscape and with place. This landscape is not what we see, but how we see it.

Question 9

Archaeological sites indicate that the Mi’kmaq people kept close to the main watersheds. This allowed for

Answer 9

• An equitable distribution of resources
• Social and civil organization
• Governance
• Bi-lateral kinship relations
• Patri-local society

Question 10

Headmen and Early Governance

Answer 10

• Headman and local organizational structure
• Women played major role in this
• Autonomous
• Headman were signatories

Question 11

Nova Scotia after war of 1812

Answer 11

Divided into 7 districts with an Indian agent within each

Question 12

Nova Scotia 1814

Answer 12

Divided into 4 bands/chiefdoms by imperial authorities

Question 13

The Mi’kmaq in 1812

Answer 13

Still seen as a military force, treaties were signed to ensure their allegiance to Britain

Question 14

Medals were given to Chiefs/Grand Chiefs

Answer 14

To gain favor and reinforce their allegiance to Britain

Question 15

Mi’kma’ki

Answer 15

• Cultural memory
• Landscape important to cultural and spiritual psyche
• Landscape central to language
• Oral history through legends, stories, songs, dances and place names
• Waterways were transportation routes for social, economic and political interactions.

Question 16

Western history

Answer 16

• Interpretive
• Linear
• Filtered by values, attitudes, perceptions and worldviews
• Measured by technological advancement and spiritual salvation
• Objective and detached

Question 17

Indigenous history

Answer 17

• Humans are part of the natural order
• Oral
• Cyclical
• Purpose of history is to educate and communicate culture
• Filtered by who is telling the story, circumstances and interpretations of the listener
• Rooted in location
• Record history through Eastern Woodland wampum belts, petroglyphs, rock paintings

Question 18

Spaces of power

Answer 18

• Cannot be reconstructed from fragmentary records
• Shift away from colonial focus
• Multiple claimants to the spaces
• Earliest of which were oriented around the needs of their home societies
• Early fisheries were spatially scattered

Question 19

Fur trade

Answer 19

• Moves inland
• Saguenay river became very lucrative
• Massive population declines
• No trade develops in Newfoundland
• Did not precipitate a massive reorganization of Mi’kmaq economic activities or social customs but was integrated into existing settlement and migration patterns
• Was extensive before European arrival
• Dependence on indigenous skills and knowledge to procure furs
• Through trading, they were drawn into pre-existing alliances
• Drawn into commercial relationships within indigenous protocols

Question 20

Political Organization in Mi’kmaq Society

Answer 20

• 3 leaders per village
• Chief, depended on support not sovereignty
• Spiritual leader
• War chief (Keptin)
• Elder, along with Chief, determined where people hunted and settled disputes
• Grand Council established 600 years ago
• Met in summer, discussed peace and war

Question 21

Wabanaki Confederacy

Answer 21

• Mi’kmaq
• Maliseet
• Passamaquoddy
• Penobscot
• Abenaki

Question 22

1600s

Answer 22

• Port Royal established by the French
• Small scale colonization
• Baptism of Chief Membertou and his family (1610)
• Little imperial interference
• Mi’kmaq established relationships based on the most beneficial outcomes for their village/district
• Not politically homogenous

Question 23

Disease

Answer 23

• Influenza, measles, mumps, scarlet fever, smallpox and whooping cough
• Decimated populations
75% of Mi’kmaq killed

Question 24

Religion

Answer 24

• Both England and France believe that non-Christians had no rights to the land
• They had the rights to govern and exploit the New World
• They had a moral duty to spread the Word of God
• They had a right to trade, settle and claim the land

Question 25

Port Royal

Answer 25

* Controlled by New Scotland, French, English and then the French again * “No more than a little paltry town” * “People are poor and indigent” * “Hardly viewed as jewels in the imperial crown.” * Largely neglected * Imperial powers don’t exert grip on this region until 1686 (to 1720)

Question 26

Treaty of Whitehall

Answer 26

* Signed by England and France * Recognized their territories * Ensured neutrality in future wars in Europe * Trading and fishing on each other’s territory was forbidden

Question 27

Treaty of Ryswick

Answer 27

* Signed by England and France and allies * Settling war in Europe * Land restored * Port Royal back under French control

Question 28

1700s

Answer 28

* Annapolis Royal established when New England and British troops attack Port Royal in a decisive battle * Government established when they realize the importance of this land * The Mi’kmaq, allied with the Abenaki, still pose a threat to the British

Question 29

Treaty of Utrecht

Answer 29

* Acadia given to Great Britain * Attempts to resolve boundary issues * Mi’kmaq not taken into consideration * Formalized British control of lands * Increasingly encroached Wabanaki Confederacy territories

Question 30

War 1722-1725

Answer 30

• Native groups send letter to Gov. of Mass. Expressing their opposition to the expansion of New England territories

Question 31

New England

Answer 31

Moving up into Maine, NS and NB and taking up more land

Question 32

Treaty of 1725

Answer 32

* Brings conclusion to a conflict between Britain and the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Abenaki, Maliseet and the Mi’kmaq * Peace and friendship treaty * Wabanaki Compact * Signed in Boston

Question 33

Treaty of 1726

Answer 33

Mi'kmaq ratify treaty of 1725

Question 34

Perceptions of the Mi’kmaq

Answer 34

* Barbaric * Culturally inferior * Living in a state of nature * Unpredictable * Unreliable * Untrustworthy * “Animals” * “Treaties with the Indians mean nothing and nothing but force shall prevail”

Question 35

Diplomatic issues

Answer 35

* Britain found it hard to establish relationship with the Mi’kmaq * Britain issues medals to Chiefs for their allegiances * Britain establishes Halifax as base to offset French power at Louisburg

Question 36

Treaty of Halifax 1752

Answer 36

* Between Britain and Mi’kmaq bands * Signed by Jean Baptiste Cope * Promised hunting, fishing and trading rights * Mi’kmaq still supported by the Confederacy/The French

Question 37

Scalping Proclamations

Answer 37

Paid for killed Mi'kmaq across the province

Question 38

New governor in Halifax

Answer 38

* Scalping proclamation revoked * Treaty of Halifax is signed with the Mi’kmaq * Divided opinions on making peace * French still wants Acadia back * English deport Acadians (Bye Felicia)

Question 39

Treaty of 1760/1761

Answer 39

* Passamaquoddy and Maliseet sign 1760 treaty * Mi’kmaq sign the 1761 treaty * Right to harvest fish, wildlife, wild fruits and berries to support livelihood * While the Mi’kmaq promised not to molest British settlements * They did not give up their land title and other rights * Treaties all read the same

Question 40

Blecher’s proclamation 1762

Answer 40

* Wants to protect the just rights of the Mi’kmaq to their land * Allows Mi’kmaq to hunt/fish * Gets in trouble * Bye af

Question 41

What would the Mi’kmaq have understood?

Answer 41

* They weren’t well versed in English * British didn’t want the treaties translated * Mi’kmaq are still not to be messed with lightly * No one has dealt with land claims * Just “peace and friendship” * Nice work guys