Aboriginal Treatment and Treaty Analysis

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Questions and Answers

What were the two main reasons the government offered the Canadian Pacific Railway in exchange for building the transcontinental railway?

Land grants, a 20-year non-competition guarantee.

$25 million, 10 million hectares of land, a 20-year non-competition guarantee. (correct)

They were forced to pay through a corrupt contract.

$25 million, land grants.

What was one of the key injustices faced by Chinese workers during the construction of the transcontinental railway?

They were not allowed to vote.

Their families were not allowed to immigrate to Canada.

They were not paid enough for the dangerous work. (correct)

They were required to serve in the Canadian military.

What was a major cause of the Northwest Rebellion?

The Métis wanted to establish a separate government in Canada.

The Métis were afraid of losing their land to settlers. (correct)

The Métis felt their rights were being violated by the government.

The Métis wanted to join forces with other Indigenous groups.

How did the Indigenous people win their victories against the colonists?

By using guerrilla tactics like ambushes and surprise attacks. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How did the Battle of Batoche ultimately end?

The Métis lost due to disagreements between their leaders. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was the National Policy designed to do?

Promote Canadian industry and economic growth. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why did Riel's conviction cause tensions between Anglophones and Francophones?

Anglophones wanted Riel punished, while Francophones viewed him as a defender of their culture. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What was a result of the adoption of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?

Products manufactured in Mexico or the United States could enter Canada duty-free. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Pacific Scandal?

It exposed corruption in the government and led to public outcry. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a "pot de vin"?

A bribe or a gift given in exchange for a favor. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What were the consequences of signing Treaty No. 6?

Natives lost millions of acres of land. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the reasons why the Indian Act was considered unfair?

Natives could not be tried in their native language. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the main purposes of the Immigration Act?

To restrict the number of immigrants arriving by boat. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a homestead?

A large parcel of land granted to immigrants for settlement. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of quarantining passengers arriving in Canada?

To prevent the spread of contagious diseases. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why did Indigenous people agree to sign treaties with the government?

They believed the government would keep its promises. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What were Indigenous people promised in exchange for signing treaties?

Control over the resources on their land. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'Power Lands Act' associated with?

The establishment of rules for using Rupert's Land. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Aboriginal Treatment

Treaty Sacredness: Treaties were considered sacred by Indigenous peoples due to their emphasis on honour, even if agreements were oral.
Reason for Signing Treaties: Indigenous peoples signed treaties due to:
- Government threats of loss of everything if chiefs refused.
- Promises made by the government, which Indigenous peoples were unaware the government would not keep.
Promises in Exchange for Signing Treaties: Indigenous peoples were promised:
- Right to live on reserves.
- Right to hunt and fish within reserve limits.
- Yearly payments.
- Agricultural tools and techniques.
- Schools on reserves.
Consequences of Treaty No. 6: The signing of Treaty No. 6 resulted in:
- Loss of millions of acres of land.
- Extinction of the bison population.
- Starvation among Indigenous people.
Unfairness of the Indian Act: The Indian Act was deemed unfair because:
- Indigenous people were denied voting rights and the right to consume alcohol
- Indigenous women who married non-Indigenous men lost their status, while non-Indigenous women who married Indigenous men gained it.
- Federal government allowed private companies to harvest timber on reserves.
- Indigenous people were tried in languages other than their own.
- Right to vote could only be obtained by renouncing Indigenous status

Colonization

Quarantine of Passengers: Passengers arriving in Canada were quarantined to prevent the entry of individuals with contagious diseases.
Immigration Act Objectives: The Immigration Act aimed to prevent the entry of those with contagious diseases into Canada and to limit the number of immigrants per ship.
Rupert's Land Usage Regulations: The Power Lands Act established the rules for using Rupert's Land.
Prairie Division: The prairies were divided into cantons, each approximately 10 square kilometers.
Homesteading: A homestead was a plot of land set aside for a family to farm. Conditions included constructing a house and operating a farm within three years; failure to meet these conditions led to the return of the land.

Transcontinental Railway

Pacific Scandal: John A. Macdonald's government accepted a $350,000 bribe from a contractor as part of the railway deal, creating the Pacific Scandal.
Railway Construction Difficulties: Challenges included insufficient funds, difficult terrain (Rocky Mountains, Ontario muskeg), and a shortage of workers.
Injustices to Chinese Workers: Chinese workers faced:
- Assignment of dangerous jobs.
- Casualties from blasting
- Insufficient food rations.
- Inadequate housing.
- Lack of medical care.
- Lower wages compared to other workers.
- Government refusal to cover repatriation costs.
- Government imposed restrictions making it hard for family immigration.
National Policy: The National Policy was an economic program that encouraged Canadian industry through:
- Increased tariffs on foreign-made goods.
- Decreased tariffs on imported raw materials.
Railway Contract: The Canadian Pacific Railway received the contract for the Transcontinental Railroad, alongside grants of:
- $25 million.
- Approximately 10 million hectares of land.
- A 20-year non-competition guarantee.

Northwest Rebellion

Cause of the Rebellion: The Northwest Rebellion stemmed from settlers' desire to colonize Saskatchewan, following Métis displacement from their Manitoba lands, fearing a repeat of land loss.
Native Warfare Tactics: Indigenous peoples employed guerrilla warfare tactics, using ambushes and surprise attacks.
Reason for Battle of Batoche Loss: The Métis forces lost the Battle of Batoche due to disagreements between leaders Gabriel Dumont and Louis Riel on strategy (surprise vs. defense).
Fate of Indigenous Leaders: Indigenous leaders Poundmaker and Big Bear, alongside Louis Riel, faced imprisonment (three years for the leaders). Riel faced execution.
Anglophone-Francophone Tensions: Riel's execution created tension between Anglophones and Francophones because Anglophones viewed him as a criminal, whereas Francophones saw him as a hero for protecting the Métis rights.

Mixed Bag

Riel's War Lieutenant: Gabriel Dumont served as a Lieutenant in Louis Riel's provisional government. - NAFTA Impact: Canada's adoption of NAFTA led to duty-free access for US and Mexican products.
Macdonald's Succession: Following the Pacific Scandal, John A. Macdonald ceded power to Alexander Mackenzie, who became Canada's second Prime Minister.
Bribery: Bribery involve money or gift given in return for a favor.
Guerrilla Warfare: A type of warfare involving harassment of the enemy via surprise attacks and ambushes.

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Description

This quiz explores the sacredness of treaties to Indigenous peoples and the consequences of signing them, such as Treaty No. 6. It discusses the reasons behind treaty agreements, the promises made, and the unfairness of the Indian Act. Test your knowledge on these significant historical issues.