Different Aspects of the Assimilation of First Nations in Canada
Different Aspects of the Assimilation of First Nations
When European settlers moved to Canada, they found out that the land was shared by the Native people. As the new Euro-Canadian society started to thrive, the British Crown needed First Nations’ traditional lands and the First Nations needed the Crown’s assistance. After Confederation in 1867, the Treaties were signed and the two very different cultures created a relationship. However, along with the treaties, another goal was put in place by the British Crown to assimilate the First Nations into the European culture and society. In this essay, the role of the three key areas—the British Crown, First Nations Chiefs and Headmen, and residential schools— in promoting the government’s plan of assimilation of the First Nations will be discussed. The British Crown believed that the First Nations’ governing system and culture was inferior because it did not reflect the European system. The government took the first step in assimilation by creating the Gradual Civilization Act in 1857. Incentives were offered to First Nations to give up their cultures and adopt the Euro-Canadian culture. The Treaty Rights were used to the Crown’s advantage to isolate the Native people. Reservations negotiated in the treaties were used by the government to obtain Native traditional lands, separate the First Nations from other communities, and restrict movement on and off the reserve. Also, band councils were created to exercise European laws on the reserve. Following the signing of the treaties, the Indian Act was created in 1876. It was supposed to outline terms of the treaties but instead, gave control to the Crown over the First Nations people. First, a definition was put in to distinguish who are Status Indians. There were circumstances that could result in loss of status. This was to ensure that more people would lose their status and not be considered Indian. The Indian Act also banned many traditional customs, ceremonies,
When European settlers moved to Canada, they found out that the land was shared by the Native people. As the new Euro-Canadian society started to thrive, the British Crown needed First Nations’ traditional lands and the First Nations needed the Crown’s assistance. After Confederation in 1867, the Treaties were signed and the two very different cultures created a relationship. However, along with the treaties, another goal was put in place by the British Crown to assimilate the First Nations into the European culture and society. In this essay, the role of the three key areas—the British Crown, First Nations Chiefs and Headmen, and residential schools— in promoting the government’s plan of assimilation of the First Nations will be discussed. The British Crown believed that the First Nations’ governing system and culture was inferior because it did not reflect the European system. The government took the first step in assimilation by creating the Gradual Civilization Act in 1857. Incentives were offered to First Nations to give up their cultures and adopt the Euro-Canadian culture. The Treaty Rights were used to the Crown’s advantage to isolate the Native people. Reservations negotiated in the treaties were used by the government to obtain Native traditional lands, separate the First Nations from other communities, and restrict movement on and off the reserve. Also, band councils were created to exercise European laws on the reserve. Following the signing of the treaties, the Indian Act was created in 1876. It was supposed to outline terms of the treaties but instead, gave control to the Crown over the First Nations people. First, a definition was put in to distinguish who are Status Indians. There were circumstances that could result in loss of status. This was to ensure that more people would lose their status and not be considered Indian. The Indian Act also banned many traditional customs, ceremonies,