Contact Colonization On the eve of contact Aboriginal

Contact & Colonization

On the eve of contact Aboriginal societies were flourishing They depended on nature for survival They had invented new technologies They had diverse, complex societies

There were 7 major cultural regions in Canada: Woodlands (Hunters & Farmers) / Plateau / Interior Plains / Northern Subarctic / Pacific Coast / Arctic

Aboriginal Peoples had adapted to their specific environment

What they all had in common was their close relationship with the environment. Their food, shelter, technologies, and weapons all reflected their environment.

Their forms of government reflected their groups as well: • Smaller, nomadic tribes had egalitarian governments which reflected the interests of the group over the individual • Larger, sedentary tribes had more centralized authority

The arrival of Europeans disrupted the delicate balance of the Aboriginals lives.

At the beginning, both sides benefited from each other. It is important to remember that contact didn’t occur overnight…it was over a 200 year period.

On the eve of contact, European societies were vying for supremacy in Europe.

Most of their trade was with Asia, but it was becoming more difficult. o Expanding Islamic empires restricted travel over their territory o Travel to Asia was exceedingly far and costly o A new route to Asia needed to be found

• During this time the Roman Catholic Church greatly influenced values and laws. • The Reformation was a movement that questioned Catholic practices and eventually led to the formation of the Protestant denominations.

The remaining catholic nations such as France, Portugal, and Spain launched the counterreformation to spread the values of the Catholic Church.

The European nations practiced colonialism whereby they exploited the resources of the lands they conquered to create wealth in their homeland • • Spices Silks Furs Timber Fish Food People

In the late 1500’s, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands were the imperial powers. In the 1600’s, England France emerged as dominant powers.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492 he thought that he’d arrived in India and had found the precious Western route to the Orient. News of Columbus’ discovery led to a wave of European explorers crossing the Atlantic.

John Cabot sailed around land that he called “New Found Land” and made a discovery that would impact the entire continent…

…a seemingly endless supply of cod fish. Meat was prohibited to be eaten in Catholic society 153 days a year so fish was a true prize.

The arrival of the fishing fleets signalled the beginning of European/Aboriginal trade. The fur trade also flourished and competition for the best trade routes developed between the French and English.

The impact of contact on Aboriginal Peoples was profound. European technologies that they used such as guns, knives, and kettles changed the ways in which they performed traditional tasks.

The fur trade intensified long-standing hostilities among First Nations societies

The depletion of land animal resources hampered Aboriginal ways of life.

European infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, and a variety of flu strains decimated Aboriginal populations

The introduction of alcohol also had devastating effects

Contact led Aboriginal Peoples from a lifestyle of independence to one of interdependence and dependence.

The impact of contact on European society was more positive: o New foods were being served on European tables such as potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and beans o Immense wealth was achieved through the exploitation of resources and from cheap/free labour o A worldwide economic revolution took place after the discovery of the Americas o Contact transformed Europe into capitalist societies and economic powers.