Victorian Times and Aboriginal People

Question 1

In what ways did the lives of the First Nations people in Canada change negatively to make room for colonial settlement?

Answer 1

• They were forced to live on reserves
• They suffered from diseases, poverty and other problems
• The government forced some First Nations people into a farming lifestyle, which was different than their traditional ways of life based on hunting and fishing.

Question 2

What was the Gradual Civilization Act?

Answer 2

In 1857, the Province of Canada passed the gradual Civlization Act, which was meant to assimilate Aboriginal people by making them citizens of Britain.

If they were citizens of Britain, they would have none of the treaty rights or protected status of First Nations.

Question 3

Why did the Canadian government was to assimilate First Nations people?

Answer 3

• As colonial settlement moved into Aboriginal territories, land buyers pressured the government to sell them the best land.
• Sometimes, immigrants and local governments challenged the terms of established treaties with First Nations peoples – forcing First Nations to defend what had already been agreed to.

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Question 4

What happened to the reserves that were deemed valuable by white immigrant to Canada?

Answer 4

The government often persuaded bands to rent out good farmland on reserves and then would sell the rights to immigrants.

Since some bands were struggling financially, taking the money seemed to be one of the few options available to them. As a result, large sections of territory guaranteed by treated were lost, often permanently.