First Nations, Early Contact, and European Explorers

Flashcards covering First Nations spirituality, early European contact, and the experiences of explorers in Canada.

What did First Nations believe about the Earth and its elements?

They believed that everything on Earth, including animals, plants, rocks, water, the Moon, and the Sun, had spirit and deserved respect.

What is an example of a ceremony performed by the Wendat?

They held ceremonies to thank the Creator for the corn.

What did the Mikmaq hunters do to show respect for the spirit of moose?

They buried the bones of moose or made items out of the bones.

What are the Seven Grandfather Teachings?

Love, Wisdom, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Humility, and Truth.

Define 'Expedition'.

A journey that is organized for a specific purpose.

Define 'Colony'.

An area claimed and controlled by a country in another part of the world.

Define 'Indigenous'.

Originals to the land.

Who were most likely the first Europeans to land in what is now Canada, and why did they travel there?

The Vikings, who traveled to trade with people around the year 1000.

Why did explorers want to find a water route to what would become Canada instead of trading over land?

They thought that traveling over land was a long and dangerous trip.

Why did rulers of European countries want to own and control land in what would become Canada?

They wanted to gain wealth and power; England and France were competing for dominance.

What was a primary trade goal for Europeans exploring new lands?

To find a water trade route to Asia for tea, spices, and silks.

Besides trade, what other motivations drove European exploration?

Claiming land and settlement development, obtaining resources and wealth like gold, silver, timber, and fish, spreading their faith, and pure curiosity and adventure.

Why were maps unreliable during the early exploration period?

They didn't have technology like we do today.

What advancements made travel and exploration easier in the 1400s?

Ships moved faster, and navigation tools like the compass and astrolabe improved.

Define 'Saga'.

Long stories that tell about heroes, especially those of the Norse Vikings.

What were Norse explorers called?

Vikings

Name two places the Norse discovered.

Labrador, Iceland, and Greenland.

What was the first European settlement in North America called, and who built it?

L'Anse aux Meadows, built by Norse Vikings.

Why did the Norse build the settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows?

As a place to stay in winter, where they could repair their boats.

How did most encounters between the Norse and First Nations peoples end?

In conflict.

When was L'Anse aux Meadows discovered?

1960

Name artifacts that confirmed L'Anse aux Meadows was a Viking settlement.

Part of a bone needle, a spindle whorl, and a bronze ring-headed pin.

What was the home country of John Cabot?

England

What was the home country of Jaques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain?

France

What did Cartier do while exploring?

He was looking for a trade route to Asia

What did Champlain do while exploring?

He was a map maker and explorer

Where did Cartier visit in 1535, and how was he greeted?

Cartier visited Hochelaga at the site of present-day Montreal, where he was warmly greeted and offered fish and other food gifts.

Name five goods that the First Nations acquired from the Europeans through trade.

Knives, Axes, Needles, Weapons and Cooking Pots.

What was the main good the Europeans acquired from the First Nations peoples, and why was it valuable?

Pelts, which were important because that's how they made clothes.

How did Europeans rely on First Nations for Geographical Knowledge?

They seeked knowledge of water and land, berries, and other plants.

How did Europeans rely on First Nations for Technologies?

It helped them learn to navigate and how to use a canoe.

How did Europeans rely on First Nations for Food and Medicine?

They could'nt survive around land without it.

Why did contact between First Nations peoples and Europeans often lead to conflict?

Contact led to conflict because cultures were brought too close, and their differences led to conflict.

How did First Nations view the land?

Part of the land, not owned or controlled.

How did Europeans view the land?

Property that could be bought and sold through a system of ownership.

What did the Europeans often do to mark their claim on a piece of land?

They raised the cross and claimed the land for France.

Why did Europeans often take First Nations peoples back to Europe with them?

They had been taken to foreign land.

According to the notes, how can the inability of the First Nations and the Europeans to communicate lead to conflict?

Dishonesty, such as lying about claiming the land with a cross.