Transcript The Peoples of British North America

The Peoples of
British North
America
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Since time immemorial,
the Europeans and First
Nations have been
different.
After contact,
immigrants from other
parts of the world started
coming here to create
even more cultural
differences.
Immigrant- A person who
comes to live in a
country that is not his or
her original home.
 In
the early 1700’s
and 1800’s most
immigrants to NA
were from Europe
but many African
people also came
to BNA.
The British and the Irish
 The
population in BNA in
the 1800’s increased
due to immigration from
Great Britain and
Ireland.
 Mid 1800’s- 2/3 of the
European population in
BNA was either British or
Irish.
The Elite
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Elite- A class of people
with more political,
economic and social
power than the majority.
Elite in BNA- Scottish or
British families living in BNA
for several generations.
Loyalists- People from the
US who sided with Britain
and came to Canada
after the American
Revolution.
Many of the elite were
Loyalists as well.
 Some
of the families
were rich because they
were given pieces of
land for nothing and
then sold it.
 In NL, the elite were
merchants who
controlled the fishing
industry.
Newer Immigrants
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Between 1815 and 1850
aprox. 800 000 English,
Scottish and Irish
immigrants came to BNA.
They had a difficult time
in their homeland-much
poverty and hard
economic times.
Life wasn’t easy for new
immigrants- finding work
and land was difficult.
However, life was easy for
English and Scottish
immigrants compared to
that of other immigrants.
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They found it easy to fit in
to the culture.
If they worked hard and
stayed healthy they
could gain power and
wealth over time.
The Irish, however, were
treated quite differently.
Many English were
prejudiced against the
Irish.
Prejudice- A dislike or
distrust of a person or
group based on biased
ideas or information.
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Another reason for conflict
between the English and the
Irish was religion.
English- Protestant. IrishCatholic.
Many Irish people fished in NL
for many years but were
banned from better paying
jobs.
In other colonies, the Irish faced
discrimination when trying to
get jobs in English owned
businesses.
Discrimination- Unfair treatment
based on prejudice.
People of French Heritage
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There were French
people in all colonies
but the majority were
in Canada East and
in PEI, Nova Scotia
and NB (Acadians).
By mid 1800’s- A few
small French
communities along
the French Shore in
NL.
The French in Canada East
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For many years the French
were the majority in Canada
East.
Many families had lived there
since the 1600s.
A few elite, but most were
habitants.
Habitants- farmers who lived in
rural areas.
1763- GB took over the French
colonies.
French were given special
rights. Ex. Keep their own
language, customs, laws and
faith.
 Britain
gave them special
treatment because they
didn’t want them to
rebel.
 For the most part farmers
did well.
 Supported each other in
difficult times.
 As more British and Irish
immigrants moved to
Canada East the French
feared they would lose
their rights and become
a minority.
Acadians
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Acadia- Name given to the
first permanent French
settlers in NA.
It included PEI, NS and NB
(Maritimes).
Acadians were
descendants of the first
settlers.
1600s &1700s- Acadians had
strong farming and fishing
communities.
During the war between
England and French their
land changed hands many
times until Britain finally won.
 British
made Acadians
leave because they didn’t
believe they would stay
loyal to Britain.
 During the Grand
Dérangement in 1755,
between 8 000 and 10 000
Acadians were forced to
leave their homes.
 Many were either sent
south or put in prison.
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Others went to live deep in the
woods.
Some moved to Canada East or to
NL.
Some even went to France or
Louisiana.
Families were broken up and about
50% died.
Over time Acadians were allowed
to return to BNA.
Many chose to return but now their
farmland was owned by the British.
They had to start over as fishers or
loggers.
This was difficult because the fishing
industry was owned by English
merchants.
By the mid 1800s Acadian
communities were strong again but
some still lived with poverty.
Aboriginal People
 The
arrival of European
settlers had a huge impact
on aboriginals.
 By the mid-1800s this effect
was strong in the Atlantic
region.
 Political changesgovernment no longer
seeing Aboriginals as
separate nations.
 FN were considered to be
under the control of Britain.
 Many
government
members were racist
towards the FN.
 Racism- A prejudice
based on a person’s
heritage or skin color.
 Racist attitudes resulted
often in discrimination.
Loss of Land
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Canada West and MaritimesArrival of Loyalists, British and
Irish created a great demand
for land.
Canada West- agreement to
take over more FN land.
Sometimes this happened
through treaties and
sometimes they bought the
land.
NS, PEI and NB, government
usually allowed settlers to take
whatever land they wanted.
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FN leaders complained so
governments set aside land
for FN only.
Government, however, did
not stop settlers from taking
over this land either.
Eventually FN were left with
very little, poor quality land.
Mid 1800s- Most lived in
poverty and faced
starvation.
Drop in Population
 Pop
of FN and Inuit dropped
from about 500 000 before
Contact to 102 000 by 1871.
 Mostly due to disease.
 Poverty, lack of foodbecame weak and sick very
easily.
 FN and Inuit were not able
to fight off European
diseases like smallpox,
tuberculosis and measles.
 When
the disease was
around for several
generations it was easier for
bodies to fight it off.
 But the European diseases
were new so thousands
died.
 Sometimes whole
communities were wiped
out.
 Tuberculosis- A lung
disease.
 Measles/pox- Rash or sores
and a high fever.
The Métis: Finding their Place
 Mid
1800s- Largest Metis
community in Rupert’s
Land in the Red River
Settlement.
 Followed cultures of their
heritage, but eventually
started creating their own
culture.
 Under the control of HBC.
 Employed in the fur tradecarried goods by foot,
canoe or wagon.
 Supplied
food to fur
traders.
 Ex. Vegetables, from
their gardens and
buffalo meat.
 Because of racism, they
were not promoted to
better or easier jobs.
 They saw themselves as
a separate people and
were proud of their
work.
Black Colonists
 Black
people have
been in BNA since the
earliest days.
 Slavery was legal until
1834.
 Slavery became less
common after 1800.
 Black people moved
to BNA because they
thought they had a
better chance of not
becoming a slave.
Black Loyalists
 During
the American
Revolution, about 3000
Black Loyalists came to
BNA.
 Settled mostly in NS and
NB.
 Didn’t get the same
benefits as other Loyalists.
 Given smaller pieces of
land with fewer resources.
 Not given a title to the
land- a legal record that
they owned the land.
 Easily
forced to move
 It was difficult but they
set up strong
communities with
health care, churches
and schools.
Slavery Outlawed in BNA
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Many Black immigrants
moved to BNA when
slavery was outlawed.
Between 1840 and 1860,
30 000 Black immigrants
moved to BNA from the
US to escape slavery.
Settled in Canada West,
NS and NB.
Also set up communities
in Rupert’s Land and
Vancouver’s Island.
Opportunities for Black Colonists
 Although
they were not
enslaved in the mid 1800s,
they did not have the
same opportunities as
White colonists.
 Experienced
discrimination and could
only get low paying jobs
and poor land to live on.
 Black colonists were
forced to land with less
resources and White
communities grew.