5: Interior Plains Flashcards
What is the Interior Plains?
A large region covering parts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory
What is the geographical characteristic of the Interior Plains?
Fairly flat with low hills
What types of landscapes are found in the Interior Plains?
Grassland, wooded parkland, and large northern forests
Which First Nations have historically lived in the Interior Plains?
Blackfoot, Cree, and Dene
What economic activity expanded into the Interior Plains region?
The fur trade
Who were the key groups involved in the fur trade in the Interior Plains?
Francophone traders, Métis, and British explorers
What development occurred as a result of the fur trade?
Building of trading posts
What led to the settlement of communities and cities in the Interior Plains?
Natural resources such as coal, oil, gas, and forests
Fill in the blank: The Interior Plains has areas of _______ and wooded parkland.
grassland
True or False: The Interior Plains is characterized by mountainous terrain.
False
What are droughts?
Long periods without rain or snow.
What are bison also called?
Buffalo.
Where did the Verreau family move in the 1890s?
Bon Accord, Alberta.
What natural resources are found in the Interior Plains?
- Oil
- Natural gas
- Coal
- Forests
- Farmland
What severe weather events can occur in the Interior Plains?
- Droughts
- Flooding
- Tornadoes
- Hail
- Dust storms
- Blizzards
- Ice storms
Which First Nations developed ways of life on the Interior Plains?
- Saulteaux
- Cree
- Blackfoot (Siksika, Pikani, and Kainai)
- Dene
What animals did the First Nations hunt in the Interior Plains?
- Caribou
- Moose
- Bison
In the 1700s, which group came to explore the Interior Plains?
Francophones.
What role did the Cree and Métis people have in the fur trade?
- Supplied food
- Acted as guides and scouts
What facilitated the arrival of many settlers to the Plains in the late 1800s?
The completion of the railway.
Fill in the blank: Droughts are long periods without _______.
[rain or snow]
Who are the original inhabitants of the Interior Plains?
The First Nations of the Interior Plains
What is a significant reason people continue to move to the Interior Plains?
Natural resources such as coal, natural gas, and oil
What types of industries provide work for many people in the Interior Plains?
Industries related to farming, government, manufacturing, medicine, and education
Fill in the blank: The descendants of people who came to _______ also continue to live in the region.
[settle in the region]
True or False: The Interior Plains only attract people from other countries.
False
What types of jobs are available in towns and cities of the Interior Plains?
Government, manufacturing, medicine, and education
Who were the primary Indigenous groups living on the Interior Plains?
The Plains Cree, Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai
What animals did the Plains Indigenous peoples primarily hunt for food?
Bison and caribou
Fill in the blank: The Plains Indigenous peoples settled near sources of _______ and _______.
water, food
What was the significance of bison to the Plains Indigenous peoples?
Food, clothing, and other items
True or False: Bison roamed in small groups across the prairies.
False
What did the Dene people rely on for food and clothing?
Caribou
Fill in the blank: The Dene traveled following the _______ across the north.
caribou
What did people exclaim when it rained, according to the Dene Elder?
‘Haaaay, it’s raining! That’s great, for the caribou is going to be fat!’
What type of vegetation did bison primarily consume?
Prairie grasses
Why did First Nations people move with the bison herds?
To hunt them for food
Who were the majority of the coureurs des bois, explorers, and voyageurs during the fur trade?
Canadiens
Canadiens were French-speaking settlers from Canada.
What was the first European language spoken in the Interior Plains?
French
French was introduced during the fur trade era.
In which decade did Pierre de La Vérendrye set up forts along the Saskatchewan River?
1720s
He was assisted by his sons and a guide.
Who was Laurent Leroux?
A Canadien fur trader
He set up Fort Resolution and Fort Providence.
Where did Laurent Leroux establish trading forts?
Great Slave Lake
These forts became important centers for the fur trade.
What role did the trading forts play in the fur trade?
They became centres for fur trade in each area
They facilitated trade and employment for many.
True or False: Most of the people who worked in the trading forts spoke English.
False
Most spoke French.
What demographic change occurred in Western Canada in the mid 1800s?
The population of Francophones grew.
Who established missions in Western Canada during the mid 1800s?
Roman Catholic priests and religious sisters.
Name three types of institutions established by missionaries in Western Canada.
- Churches
- Schools
- Hospitals
What was the role of travelling missionaries in the mid 1800s?
They ministered to the Francophone settlers.
In which regions were missions established by Catholic clergy?
- Saint-Boniface
- Fort Edmonton
- St. Albert
What trend was observed among Canadiens in Québec in the late 1800s and early 1900s?
Many Canadiens were moving to the United States to look for work.
What did Catholic clergy encourage Francophone professionals to do in the late 1800s?
To settle in the Interior Plains.
Fill in the blank: Roman Catholic priests and religious sisters came to __________ and other settlements to establish missions.
[Saint-Boniface]
True or False: The missions established by Catholic clergy included only churches.
False
Who founded Gravelbourg?
Father Louis-Pierre Gravel
A Catholic priest from Québec.
In what year was Gravelbourg founded?
1906
What title was given to Father Louis-Pierre Gravel by the Canadian government?
missionary-colonizer
Where did Father Gravel travel to promote Gravelbourg?
United States and Eastern Canada
What impact did Father Gravel’s travels have on Gravelbourg?
Many families came to live in Gravelbourg
What type of school did Father Gravel create in Gravelbourg?
Francophone school
Where was one of the significant Métis settlements located?
Along the Red River, where Winnipeg is today
This area was crucial for its role in fur trade routes.
What were the two main reasons the Red River settlement was important?
- The river and Lake Winnipeg facilitated fur trade routes
- The Assiniboine River led farther west
What types of work did the Métis commonly engage in?
- Trappers
- Bison hunters
- Supplying food for forts
What was the first Métis settlement in Saskatchewan?
Cumberland House
What type of company did many Métis work for?
Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company
Fill in the blank: The first Métis settlement in Saskatchewan was at _______.
Cumberland House
True or False: The Métis were among the first to settle in the Interior Plains.
True
What food source was crucial for traders and explorers from the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company?
Pemmican
Pemmican is a preserved food made from meat, fat, and berries.
Why did traders and explorers rely on pemmican?
They were travelling great distances into the West and the North and needed preserved food to survive
Pemmican’s long shelf life made it ideal for long journeys.
What role did pemmican play in the economy of the Métis people?
It became an important source of income for them
The Métis people produced and sold pemmican to support their livelihoods.
What significant change occurred for First Nations people of the Interior Plains with the establishment of trading posts?
Trapping furs for the fur trade became part of daily life
This shift marked a transition in lifestyle and economic activity for these communities.
By the mid-1900s, what lifestyle change did many First Nations, such as the Dene, adopt?
They began to live in permanent homes near the trading posts
This change indicates a move towards more sedentary living and integration into the fur trade economy.
How long have horses lived in the Interior Plains?
Only a few hundred years
Horses were introduced to the Plains by Spanish explorers.
What was the primary mode of hunting bison for First Nations people before the arrival of horses?
Hunting on foot
This method required different strategies and tools compared to horseback hunting.
What period do the Siksika refer to as the ‘Dog Days’?
The time when dogs helped carry people’s belongings across the Prairies
This term reflects the reliance on dogs for transportation before horses became prevalent.
Who brought horses to the Interior Plains?
Spanish explorers
This introduction of horses transformed the lifestyle and hunting practices of First Nations people.
What are the Highlands?
The Highlands are a mountainous area in Scotland.
What was the Red River Colony?
A settlement established in 1811 when the Hudson’s Bay Company granted part of Rupert’s Land to the Earl of Selkirk.
Who was granted the territory known as Rupert’s Land?
The Earl of Selkirk.
What did Selkirk name the territory he was granted?
Territory of Assiniboia.
Why did Selkirk want to establish a new farming community in Assiniboia?
To bring homeless farmers and their families from the Scottish Highlands.
What was the primary purpose of the settlers from the Scottish Highlands?
To establish a new farming community in Assiniboia.
Fill in the blank: The Earl of Selkirk’s plan involved bringing farmers from the _______.
Scottish Highlands.
True or False: The Red River Colony was established before 1811.
False.
What was the socio-economic situation that led to the establishment of the Red River Colony?
Many farmers were forced off their land by English landlords in Scotland.
What was the primary concern of the Métis and fur traders regarding the new agricultural settlement?
Disruption of their way of life
The introduction of an agricultural settlement might have affected their traditional practices and economy.
What significant geographical area is highlighted in the text?
Territory of Assiniboia
This territory was where the settlers started their colony.
What challenges did the settlers face on their journey to Red River in 1812?
Difficult travel conditions
They landed at Fort Churchill and had to travel to York Factory on foot.
What fort did the settlers build upon arriving at Red River?
Fort Douglas
This fort was built after their difficult journey.
Why were the Scots saved from starvation during the winter at Red River?
Pemmican provided by the Métis
The Métis played a crucial role in supporting the settlers during harsh conditions.