Treaty Trade Markers

What is settler-colonialism?

Settler-colonialism is premised on making the territory settlers arrive in 'home' through the displacement, oppression, and erasure of Indigenous peoples and cultures.

What were the implications of the Gradual Civilization Act of 1857?

It provided land grants to Indigenous people who enfranchised, aiming to 'civilize' them by encouraging them to abandon their nomadic lifestyles.

What was the primary intention behind the treaty-making process from the Canadian state's perspective?

To extinguish Indigenous title to the land, avoid conflict, and negotiate reserves for settlers.

What was the significance of Rupert's Land transfer in the 1870s?

It caused tensions with Indigenous peoples, leading to events like the Red River Resistance, reinforcing the need for treaties.

What was Treaty 6 known for?

It included the medicine chest clause and a pestilence and famine clause, signed by multiple Indigenous nations.

What did Poundmaker state about Indigenous land?

He asserted that Indigenous land is not a piece of pemmican to be cut off into little portions; it belongs to them.

What was the purpose of the Dominion Land Survey initiated in 1871?

It was designed to facilitate agricultural settlement and began after the Manitoba Act.

What key observation was made during the Palliser Expedition?

It noted that much of the land in 'Palliser's Triangle' was considered unsuitable for agriculture due to poor soil and scant vegetation.

How did the context of Plains Indigenous cultures in the 1860s–1870s impact treaty-making?

Plains Indigenous peoples faced a collapsing bison hunt and devastating diseases, making treaties a hope for survival.

What are some forms of land use affected by the Dominion Land Survey?

It transformed land use from Indigenous bison hunts to private property regimes, impacting commonages and timbering areas.