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John Cabot: The Impact Of The Colonization Of Canada

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Although the colonization of today’s Canada started in the 1600’s, the effects are still felt over 400 years later today throughout Aboriginal communities. John Cabot, an Italian explorer, was the first to explore Canada’s east coast in 1497 [CITE] while looking for a sea route to Asia. He brought word of this new land to Europe which brought other explorers to Canadian lands. Cabot claimed the area of land in eastern Canada for England and named it Newfoundland. Over 100 years later, in 1534, Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River and claimed that land for France. French Colonialists named this land New France. Some years later, in 1608, Samuel de Champlain built the first permanent French settlement which was later called Quebec. …show more content…

Later, a major shift in colonial policy came in 1857 when the Gradual Civilization Act was passed. The intent with this new act was to assimilate Aboriginal people into Canadian society. The British brought in a new concept to the Aboriginals of enfranchisement; any Indian who was to be deemed of good moral character, free of debt and had learned to read and write English was eligible for this enfranchisement. Later in the 1860’s the Indian response was to reject this concept. During this time from “1857 until the passing of the 1876 Indian Act, only one Indian, Elias Hill, applied for and was granted enfranchisement.” [cite pg 64 – beyond] And although Elias Hill was granted this enfranchisement, because of the community opposition he was not granted any land but instead was given a cash settlement at “six times less than the actual value of the land.” [cite – pg 64 – beyond] During this time of colonization regulations were imposed on to enforce settler-like behavior on the Aboriginal people disallowing them to conduct traditional ceremonies such as the potlatch or sundances. [cite Aboriginal ppl in Can pg …show more content…

They would tolerate each other’s eccentricities on a personal level. [cite] But then according to Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson “gradually, the numbers of these uninvited guests began to increase, and they began to act less and less like guests and more and more as lords.” [cite] This was a process that was happening all over the world, Indigenous people would welcome these settlers, these strangers onto their land, trade with them and offer them friendship. Sadly the favor was not returned. As these settlers grew in numbers the Natives realized they were not planning to leave and “on the contrary, their numbers were increasing.” [cite] It was seen as a duty of Britain to bring agriculture and Christianity to “First Nations people, Indian agents shifted their roles from solidifying military alliances towards encouraging First Nations people to abandon their traditional ways of life and to adopt a more agricultural and sedentary, more British, life style.”

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