Canadian Native Americans

Canadian native Americans
Figure 1.--Mere are some Native Americans at New Westminster, They would be part of Northern Pavific cultural area, but we are not sure about the specific tribe. New Westminister was located in southetn British Columbia near modern Vancouver. It was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia (1858–66). This photograph was taken in 1905.

The first Canadians were the Native Americans. They like the other groups to follow were immigrants, but of course preceeded the Europeans by several molenia. Native Ameticans first arrived across the Bearing Sea land bridge about 30,000 years ago. It is likely that they were following migrating animal heards. By contrast, Europeans arrived only about 500 years ago. There were several waves of migrations believed to include relatively small numbers of indivisuals Historians debate many aspects of the migration, including the possibility that some followed a sea route south along the south. The various Canadian tribes are those of the northern United States and the Great Plains. The major difference were the Alieut people of northeastern Canada. Native Amnericans comprise a larger portion of the Canadian population than the American population. There are different ways of classifying the Canadian tribes. They include several of the North American cultural areas. The principal groups are the Inuit of the Arctic, The Iroquois of the Eastern Woodlands, The Peoples of the Plains, The Peoples of the Plateau, and The Peoples of the Northwest Coast. By far the largest area inhabited by Native Americans is the Sub-Artic. The largest population was the Eastern Woodlands, but the numbers today are only a small fraction of the population encounteed by the Europeans. The Canadian Native Americans were primarily hunter gathers with hunting morphing into fishing and hunting marine mammals in the Artic. The tibes of the Eastern Woodlands were the most advanced who had added agriculture to hunter-gathering activities. The Fur trade was the primary attraction for the French in establishing New France. The Native American people played an important role in the trade. France granted trade monopolies entrepreneurs. They had to commit to evangelization of the Native American peoples. Alliances were neotiated between the French and various tribal groups, priomrily Eastern Woodland tribes. The Hurons and the Algonquians were primarily important with the French. The Iroquois allied with the Dutch and English. The result was a series of battles between the Europeans and their Native American allies to control the highly profitable fur trade. his led to the Iroquois wipeing out the Huron people. As in the United States, the arrival of horses led to the development of the Plains culture based on hunting buffalo.

Native Americans

The first Canadians were the Native Americans. They like the other groups to follow were immigrants, but of course preceeded the Europeans by several molenia. Native Ameticans first arrived across the Bearing Sea land bridge about 30,000 years ago. It is likely that they were following migrating animal heards. By contrast, Europeans arrived only about 500 years ago. There were several waves of migrations believed to include relatively small numbers of indivisuals Historians debate many aspects of the migration, including the possibility that some followed a sea route south along the south.

The Tribes

The various Canadian tribes include those of the northern United States and the Great Plains. The major difference were the Alieut people of northeastern Canada. Native Amnericans comprise a larger portion of the Canadian population than the American population. There are different ways of classifying the Canadian tribes. They include several of the North American cultural areas. The principal groups are the Inuit of the Arctic, The Iroquois of the Eastern Woodlands, The Peoples of the Plains, The Peoples of the Plateau, and The Peoples of the Northwest Coast. By far the largest area inhabited by Native Americans is the Sub-Artic. The largest population was the Eastern Woodlands, but the numbers today are only a small fraction of the population encounteed by the Europeans. The Canadian Native Americans were primarily hunter gathers with hunting morphing into fishing and hunting marine mammals in the Artic. The ttibes of the Eastern Woodlands were the most advanced who had added agriculture to hunter-gathering activities.

The Fur Trade

The fur trade played an important role in Canadian history and in her lives of Native Americans. Explorer Jacques Cartier (1491–1557) claimed what is now Canada for France. He encountered major settlements Stadacona (Quebec City) and at Hochelaga (Montreal Island). It was Samuel de Champlain (1574-1635) was largely responsible for the creation of New France and the organization of its economy, most importantly the fur trade. The Fur trade was the primary attraction for the French in establishing New France. The Native American people played an important role in the trade. France granted trade monopolies entrepreneurs. They had to commit to evangelization of the Native American peoples. Alliances were neotiated between the French and various tribal groups, priomrily Eastern Woodland tribes. The Hurons and the Algonquians were primarily important with the French. The Iroquois allied with the Dutch and English. The result was a series of battles between the Europeans and their Native American allies to control the highly profitable fur trade. This led to the Iroquois wipeing out the Huron people.

The Bufalo

As in the United States, the arrival of horses led to the development of the Plains culture based on hunting buffalo.

Native American Schools

Native Amweicans did not have schools, they were a pre-literate, stone age people. They learned needed skills at the side of their parents. Often in gthe late-19th century did the Canadians like the Americans begin to think of the long-term future of the Native Americans. One answer was special residential Native American boarding schools.








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Created: 3:27 AM 1/28/2013
Last updated: 3:09 AM 11/18/2013