Canada’s Rich History: From Indigenous Peoples to Confederation

Canada’s Rich History: From Indigenous Peoples to Confederation”. This title reflects the fact that Canada has a long and fascinating history that dates back thousands of years, beginning with the Indigenous peoples who originally inhabited the land. When European explorers arrived in Canada, they found all regions occupied by native peoples they called “Indians,” thinking they had reached the East Indies. The native people lived off the land, some by hunting and gathering, others by raising crops. The Huron-Wendat of the Great Lakes Region, like the Iroquois, were farmers and hunters. The Cree and Dene of the Northwest were hunter-gatherers. The Sioux were nomadic, following the bison (buffalo) herd. The Inuit lived off Arctic wildlife. Warfare was common among Aboriginal groups as they competed for land, resources and prestige.

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The British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982) created the new Dominion of Canada. At that time, there were only four provinces – Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Today, Canada is made up of 10 provinces and three territories.

In 1870, three years after Confederation, Canada purchased Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company for 300,000 pounds sterling. Rupert’s Land spanned all land drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay – roughly 40 per cent of present-day Canada. The same year brought multiple historic changes to land ownership including Britain’s transfer of the North-Western Territory to Canada.

The arrival of European traders, missionaries, soldiers and colonists changed the native way of life forever. Large numbers of Aboriginals died of European diseases to which they lacked immunity. However, Aboriginals and Europeans formed strong economic, religious and military bonds in the first 200 years of coexistence which laid the foundations of Canada.

Canada has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. The country was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples who had their own beliefs, way of life, and rich history. When the first European explorers arrived in Canada, they found all regions occupied by native peoples they called “Indians,” thinking they had reached the East Indies.

 

The native people lived off the land, some by hunting and gathering, others by raising crops. The Huron-Wendat of the Great Lakes Region, like the Iroquois, were farmers and hunters. The Cree and Dene of the Northwest were hunter-gatherers. The Sioux were nomadic, following the bison (buffalo) herd. The Inuit lived off Arctic wildlife. Warfare was common among Aboriginal groups as they competed for land, resources and prestige.

The British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982) created the new Dominion of Canada. At that time, there were only four provinces – Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Today, Canada is made up of 10 provinces and three territories.

In 1870, three years after Confederation, Canada purchased Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company for 300,000 pounds sterling. Rupert’s Land spanned all land drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay – roughly 40 per cent of present-day Canada. The same year brought multiple historic changes to land ownership including Britain’s transfer of the North-Western Territory to Canada.

The arrival of European traders, missionaries, soldiers and colonists changed the native way of life forever. Large numbers of Aboriginals died of European diseases to which they lacked immunity. However, Aboriginals and Europeans formed strong economic, religious and military bonds in the first 200 years of coexistence which laid the foundations of Canada.