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North American Colonization Essay

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Ethnic Conflict during Colonization
Overview of Conflict and Response
During the period of European colonization into North America the type of ethnic conflict that was occurring was Settlers vs. Indigenous populations. The main issue with this conflict was over land and territory. However, the conflict and response to the conflict needed to be justified so settlers pinned the indigenous people as inferior to themselves and savage, essentially making them unworthy to have control over the land. (Wolfe). This is the starting point of the ethnic conflict involving indigenous people in Canada, which in turn marks the beginning of the path for indigenous people to want rights and be their own people without being threatened by groups moving into their territory.
The response to ethnic conflict at the time can be seen as acts of genocide because the goal of the settlers was to eliminate the indigenous people so that they could take control of the land. A large portion of the indigenous population living in the territory now known as Canada perished during the times of colonialism. It does need to be noted that not everyone died from outright intentional killing, many perished …show more content…

Which in theory can seem like a better alternative to acts of genocide, however the indigenous people under this control did not live good lives, even by the standards of the time. There was a “history of chattel slavery that existed within Canada where Aboriginal people were bought and sold like commodities.” (Neeganagwedgin). Their lives were entirely controlled and they were not given what we would consider today and basic human rights. Even though one could argue that they are not being targeted and killed during the period of control, many of them still died.

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