1. Unit 2 Part D Early Canadian History
The Impact of Contact

2. The Impact of Contact
CONTACT is the term historians use to refer to the time when Europeans first came to North America. The arrival of the newcomers eventually caused serious problems for the First Nations and Inuit
Since CONTACT first happened on the Atlantic Coast it is important to understand what happened in this region. A similar pattern happened in all regions as Europeans moved westward across North America

3. Early Contact in The Maritimes
At first the First Nations and Europeans realized there were some good economic opportunities.
1st Nations Wanted
Metal Knives
Pots
Axe heads
Fish hooks
Kettles
Wool blankets
Europeans Wanted
Help to survive
Furs
Venison
Fish
Lumber
Land

4. Covenant Chain of Treaties
Between 1717 and 1779 the British and First Nations entered into a number of treaties. Together these are called the Covenant Chain of Treaties. Each treaty was different but the main ideas were the same.
The First Nations agreed to act peacefully towards the British and the British agreed to respect First nations rights.

5. Covenant Chain of Treaties
The First Nations did not agree to give up their land or natural resources but over the years they found they had less and less control.

6. Covenant Chain of Treaties
These treaties are 250 years old now and are still very controversial.
1st Nations Government Wants
Control of their own natural resources
Ability to hunt and fish as they have traditionally
Compensation for lands lost over time
Canadian Government Wants
Control of natural resources
Ability to licence hunting and fishing
Clear boundaries and an end to land claims

7. The Effects of the Fur Trade
First Nations Economies changed because of the fur trade.
They were spending more and more time hunting and trapping so they needed more Europeans goods such as flour and cloth.
Less time was spent in the tribe collecting berries, fishing, preparing food for the winter, and preparing furs for themselves.

8. The Effects of the Fur Trade
It was a bit of an endless cycle.
Native people hunted so they could trade for goods.
Native people needed to trade goods because they hunted for furs.

9. The Effects of the Fur Trade
This economic system could not last forever.
Eventually the animals in a region ran low and the European traders moved on.
First Nations people had a serious problem to meet their own needs now that they weren’t trading furs.
Traditional Hunting & Fishing were next to impossible because of European settlements

10. The Effects of European Settlement
When Europeans arrived the First Nations did not see this as a problem. They were use to sharing what they had.
However the European idea of private ownership was new and it did not mix well with traditional economies.

11. The Effects of European Settlement
Forests were cut down and large tracks of land were fenced for farming and ranching. Towns were being built and roads and railways were spreading out.
The newcomers weren’t sharing the land and they were keeping more and more of it for themselves.
This is not what the First Nations had understood when they signed the treaties.

12. The Effects of European Settlement
The Europeans assumed their Economic, cultural and political ideas were superior. Most Europeans thought that First Nations would want to be just like them. Many others hoped the natives would die out or go away.

13. The Devastation of Contact
The overall effect of contact for the First Nations people was devastating.
They lost their way of life, their land, their prestige and many lost their lives.

14. The Devastation of Contact
Before 1492 The native population of North and South America is estimated between 50 and 75 million people.
By 1600 (only 100 years later) that estimate is at 8 million. (20th century estimates in Thornton, p. 22)
The reasons are many but the most important reasons are:
- disease war & violence exploitation - massacres
- displacement & disruption

15. The Devastation of Contact
Disease is thought to be the main reason for the huge decline in population. One of the most devastating diseases was smallpox, but other deadly diseases included typhus, measles, mumps, yellow fever, and whooping cough, which were chronic in Europe & Asia. The diseases brought to the New World proved to be exceptionally deadly to First Nations people.

16. The Devastation of Contact
WARFARE - While disease was by far the leading cause of the population decline of the 1st Nations peoples there were other contributing factors, such as warfare. Europeans had gunpowder and swords, which made killing easier and war more deadly. Europeans proved consistently successful in achieving domination in warfare over the First Nations people.

17. The Devastation of Contact
Massacres - In many areas settlers and even governments engaged in what have been called “massacres" usually against tribes who were seen solely as hindrances to land use by European settlers. On October 1, 1749, Edward Cornwallis, the Governor of Nova Scotia, offered a reward for the scalps of Mi’kmaq men, women, and children.

18. The Impact of Contact
As the years moved on it became increasing clear that the “New World” was a good place for European settlers.
It also became clear that the First Nations people would never again enjoy the lifestyle they once had.
They were reduced to small numbers living in remote ‘reserves’ and unable to return to their traditional ways of living.

19. Unit 2 Part D Early Canadian History
The Impact of Contact