PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THANK YOU SAMPLE ONLY THANK YOUColonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look Text by Susan Gage Ilustrations by Don McNair, Westcoast Development Group This resource was produced by Victoria International Development Education Association (VIDEA), with financial assistance from the following organizations: B.C. Teachers’ Federation - WR. Long Memorial International Solidarity Fund Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace cuso CUSO-B.C. OXFAM CANADA : Vancouver Island Outreach Project (OXFAM) VIDEA gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Steve Baileys, Karen Bamett, Mavis Gillie, This resource is repro- ducible for class- room use.Gage, Susan, 1946 — Colonialism in the Americas (Colonialism: a critical look) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN: 0 —921783 — 13 —2 1. Colonies — America — History. 2. America — Colonial influence. I. Victoria International Development Education Association. I. Title. IIL Series. JV221.G33.1991 325.7 €91-091717-5 VIDEA © 1991 Victoria International Development Education Association 407 - 620 View Street Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 1J6 Telephone: (250) 385-2333 VIDEA’s educational programs are partially {funded by the Public Participation Program of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)Contents: Ce Critiquing Columbus: 500 Years to Celebrate or to Mourn? . First Americans: South and Central America Before Columbus .. Colonial Structure: How Colonialism Worked ... seeps’? Colonialism in North America (1607-1776) ‘American Case Study 1: Trail of Tears eget ‘American Case Study 2: The Sioux eee 5 First Canadians: Struggling for Aboriginal Rights Sa Colonial Aftermath: The Effects of Colonialism Today eS Looking Outward: The US Pursues Second Stage Colonialism Ce “Banana Republic’: Neo-Colonialism in Guatemala .. a Gaining Strength: Indigenous People Struggle for Change ~~ Hands On: Activities, Simulations and Resources «.To the Teacher: Until recently, the colonization of the Americas was gener- ally taught as'a posi- tive accomplishment. Columbus, broadly recognized as the “discoverer” of America, despite the earlier claims of Leif Eriksson, is admired as a great navigator. His role as a slave trader and an instiga- tor of forced labour among the Arawak people is seldom mentioned. The explorers who fol- lowed are similarly lauded. The perspec- tive of the indigenous people, who for the most part welcomed and helped the early Europeans only to find their lands stolen and their people enslaved, is often missing from the picture. This resource at- tempts to help readers SOME of the sn sublhed INDIGENOUS 500 years ago, and to PEOPLES leokattheconinuing of the AMERICAS. in today's world.Wow, half a millennium of progress! Just think, if Columbus hadn't discov- ered America, we'd still be living in the trees, in tents and longhouses. | mean, we wouldn’t have any education or knowledge or famous literature or — well, Just civilization generally... $0 you think the only civilization is white people's civilization? Listen, if Columbus and his cronies hadn't plundered North and South America we'd have more trees, more native people, and a whole lot less pollution. Columbus. . . civilized!?! That guy was a disaster! Well, [might try to explain. Butyou're going to have to be ready to think about a different viewpoint, o.k.? After all, you're probably de- scended from one of the colonizers, andi’m descended from one of the colonized. Try stepping into my moccasins, and things are boundto look a little different. Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookLet's start with this quy Christopher Columbus. He was quite sailor, alll right. But from the point of view of ‘America's first people, there was something wrong with his mind. All he could think of was gold and slaves! Pocees: (eer tiisteee 2 mee) co eee) When Columbus and his 39 crew members landed on the little Caribbean island of Guanahini, they were welcomed by ‘Arawak Indians, who brought them food, water and gifts. ‘The Arawak lived in villages, and grew corm, yams, and cassava. They could spin and weave. In their ears, they wore tiny gold ornaments. GOL seze wen WELL FIND THE Sources if ested iS ( ‘The Arawaks soon found that no matter how friendly and generous they were, Columbus wanted more. ‘Witha hold full of imprisoned Arawaks, Columbus and his ‘men sailed to Cuba, then to Hispaniola (now Haiti and the ‘Dominican Republic). But they didn’t find very much gold. ‘They builta little outpost (La Navidad), Columbus filled his ships with more Indian prisoners, and they started home. Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look Log — 1492: ‘As soon as I arrived in the Indies, on the first Island which I found, I tooksomeofthenatives by force in order that they might learn and might give me informa- tion of whatever there is in these parts. co-lo-ni-al-ism (iz‘m) n. the system by which a country maintains foreign colonies, esp. for eco- nomic exploitation. (Webster's New World Dictionary) Sounds like another word for takeover! TS Think about it: Why did Columbusthink hehad the right to colo- nize the Arawaks’ coun- try? Doyouthinkcolon- zation is ever right?Columbus’ second voyage was a bigger one — 17 ships, more than 1200 men. What were they looking for? Slaves and gold. The Slave Snitch ‘Columbus set up a base in Haiti. In 1495 he rounded up 1500 Arawak men, women and children, and picked out the 500 healthiest to send home to Spain. Of these “pickof thecrop,” 200 died on the way. But profits soared, anyway. The Gold Grab Meanwhile, Colum- bus decreed that all people 14 or older must bring a mea- sure of gold every 3 months. And if you don’t bring enough, we'll hack your hand off! Columbus brought with him some roots of a very valuable plant — sugar cane. Sugar in Columbus’ times was so valuable that it was sold in pharmacies, and ‘weighed out by the gram. He and his followers set up huge sugarcane plantations. And guess who did all the work? Not the Spaniards! Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look The Arawaks showed “asmuchlovingnessas though they would give their hearts... they remained so much our friends it was a marcel. From here, in thename ofthe Blessed Trinity, we can send back all the slaves that canbesold...forthese people are totally un- skilled in arms.” — Christopher Columbus ‘seeemeneeesoasoamet Think about It: What does this quote tell us about the attitude ofmany of the Europeans in the New World? By 1650, all of the 250,000 Arawaks of Haiti had died. Cause of death: * massacre * overwork in the mines and on theSo what did \| say 1,150. ‘Los Nuevos. The African New Workers for New World Connection: “Those Indians just Why don'twegetsome In 1442 the Portuguese had didn’t last,” com- Africans? They appear started capturing African plained landowner able-bodied, and we _) slaves. Soon after the sugar Manvel Esperanza. could make good| | | cane industry was estab- ‘Whatwe need inthe Christiansoutofthem, | | | lishediin the WestIndies, Af- mines and on the and so benefit their rican slaves started to pour plantationsisstrong, eternal souls... in. Itwasthebeginning of the healthy workers. || 3Way Trade. The 3-Way Trade: A Great Triple Feature mecom Think about it: Slaves were shipped from West Africa to the islands of the West Indies, and later to the Southern United States. | Over i tse nee years, 12 million ® Cele coton sugar andrum wereshippedtom hee aes ee ncercnivectta — aed work on New World wufactured products — especially guns — were ‘tations. Itis esti- @ fontnganlt es nope Abacos Sree hg ie lionyoungandable- The European || The European || Infact,therewere bodied people shippers did a || manufacturers || only a few com | were captured,and great trade; their got their raw ships just kept || materials and the rest died on the way. What effect might this have on Africa's develop- ment? Clones. .all clones. What Columbus did to the Arawaks in the Bahamas, Cortés did to the Aztecs of Mexico, Pizarro did to the Incas of Peru, and the English settlers did to the First Na- tions of North America. So let’s look closer at the indigenous people of the ‘Americas, and the effects of these “brave explorers.” SV Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookThe Very First People of the Americas What do you mean According to one theory, the earliest Americans came from — “indigenous central Asia, via Siberia, anywhere from 12,000 to 40,000 years people”? ago. First Nations people themselves believe that they have always lived in the Americas. | ‘Some of these first Americans remained hunters and gather- “indigenous people” ers; others, especially in the southem US region and Central, are the people who and South America, got tired of hunting and went into farming. were there first. Co- lumbus called us “In- SOEKII | See nore See ese TeEWTMY dians,” because he C06 OF CORN? IF WE CAN | thought he’d landed Wek, IM G6 PUKE Just SONETHH in Asia. We're still called Indians, but we'dratherbecalled “First Nations People” or “native people” or “indigenous people.” After all, we know we're not Indians, even if Columbus didn’t! By 1000B.C. They were growing corn with cobsabout the same sizeas we have today. Then they launched into the trimmings: avocados, beans, squash, tobacco and tomatoes. The Amerindians, as ‘re sometimes didn’t just farm. They builthomesand leamed to minesilverand gold and to There were many great civiliza- tions in Latin America: the Olmecs, the Zapotecs, the Mayans. But the two civiliza- . tions that knocked the socks ‘They studied the stars and Off the Spaniards were the Az- planets and invented a cal- 2 tecs and the Incas. To find out Coc more, read on, Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookThe Aztecs also believed in Quetzalcoatl, a white-skinned, bearded god who — accord- ing to their legend — would one day retum. Unfortunately for the Aztecs, Hemando Cortés looked a lot like Quetzaicoatt, The Lure of Gold: Cortés Arrives in M The unstoppable Spaniards moved on towards the City of Gold, They didn’t have much choice. Cortés bumed all the ships so they couldn't go home. The City of Gold ‘When the Spaniards beheld Tenochtitlén, they couldn’tbelieve their eyes. This was the biggest city they had ever seen, with stone pyramids, canals, causeways, and bridges. Theemperor Moctezuma, carried onallitter, ‘met Cortés with necklaces of gold. The soldiers were each given gold collars, and places to stay in the city. But Cortés and his men were uneasy. They took Moctezuma hostage. From then on, the relationship between the Aztecs and the gold-greedy Spanish went downhill. The Spaniards killed 600 unarmed Aztecs, the Aztecs then defeated theSpanish, and Cortés withdrew. However, Cortés had a few more tricks up his sleeve. 1,000 Spanish reinforcements landed on the coast. During the next year Cortés and his men enlisted the peoples hostile to the Aztecs and conquered the cities loyal to the Aztecs, preventing them from sending food to Tenochtitlén. Tenochtitlan was placed under seige, and bitter fighting took place for 75 days. Street by street, the Spaniards destroyed the city of Tenochtitlan. What was left was bumed. Over 200,000 Aztecs were estimated to have died. ‘The last of the Aztec emperors, Cuauhtemoc, surrendered on August 13, 1521. He was tortured to get him to tell where more gold was hidden, but he refused to speak. Finally, he was hanged. : Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look eeTHE INCREDIBLE INCAS TheSecretWeapon The Incas were colonialists themselves. They had conquered ; other peoples over a huge area, stretching from what is today yea ret central Chile in the south, through the Andean highlands of a papas ead Bolivia and Peru to northern Ecuador and southem Colombia in fate hares ts the north. When the Spaniards arrived, Inca lands were 5000 km. ish — were helped by in length, and varied in width from 160 to 650 km. fae t f the ‘Like the Aztecs, the Incas were spectacular engineersand build- fe Secret weapon of the ers. Roads and bridges spanned great distances in the Inca lands, ro at and the Inca stonemasons built huge buildings of enormous rocks aro which fit together so tightly that a knife wouldn’t fit between the smal stones. The Incas were also skilled surgeons and doctors. Tether ea yeiseereeter In the Inca system of rule, everyone had a place. People were - wean iol organized into community work squads to farm and to build fmerindian people ree roads, bridges, and buildings. Land was farmed by all the community. ‘The Incas farmed steep mountainous areas by People were toosick to grow terraces and irrigation systems. In times of good [4] TOPS. Because they had harvest food would be driedand stored, alongwith woo, shoes | pean diseases before, the and armaments, for future timesof poor harvest. EveryInca had ‘Kztecs, Incas andothershad a right to food, clothing and shelter. no resistance to fight small- The Inca worshipped the sun, sacrificing animals and a very ‘pox, measles, or any of the occasional person to it. The great Temple of the Sun in Cuzco Dther bacteria that the Span- contained a large sun studded with precious stones, and walls {sh brought with them. covered with gold. You'r fH —- fou'te right! didn’t last thoy spar. ond melted | “That we discovered jards —ar- down into. these realms in such con- bricks. dition that there was not in all of them one thief, one vicious man, nor idler... That the SEE lands and mountains Think about it: |) | and mines and pastures In what ways were the | and hunting grounds values of the Aztecs and | and woods dnd all man- Incas different from those | ner of resources were of the Europeans? How governed or divided in did they organize their such a way that every- societies differently? How one knew and had his did they feel about gold? property, without any- about beauty? If their | | one else occupying or civilizations hadn't been destroyed by the takingit...” Spaniards, do you think the world might be Jo Serra de’ very different now? In what ways? boeash orf Pizrysamy, Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookColonialism and the Church ‘The part played by the priest Valverde in the massacre was THE SPANISH ARRIVE 1524: “The first sign of the Spanish was SMALLPOX, It spread like wildfire throughout Inca lands, killing about 200}000 people, including the ruler, his son and heir, and much of the government. Francisco Pizarro and his small raggedy ‘band of adventurers from Panama wereon their way. His first ‘rip was unsuccessful. 20 men starved to death. But he had caught sight of some of the Inca wealth. Gold! Iwon’t stop get my hands on it! Pizzaro headed back to Spain, and presented gold and silver jewelry, lamas, and beautiful tapestries to King Chatles I of Spain. Charles made Pizzaro Governor of Peru and told him to keep the wealth rolling in. ‘In 1531, Pizarro wasonce morein Peru. ‘Heinvited the Inca ruler, “Atahuaipa, to visit himin the town of Cajamarca, Atahualpa was tempted, not just by natural curiosity to see alose-up view of these strange men on strange animals, but by a hope that one of them might be the creator-god Viracocha, who had promised to return someday. Atahualpa arrived, attended by thousands of ‘Gnarmed Inca soldiers, The priest, Vicente de Valverde, wassent out to inform Atahualpa that he must accept Christianity and ‘Spanish rule. ‘Atahualpa examined the Bible which was handed te him, and threw it to the ground, This was the signal for the armed’ soldiers toswoop inon theirhorses,sliceup7,000 ‘unarmed soldiers, and take Atahualpa prisoner. totheiroldreligion. Itwas considered partofthe pur- pose of colonialism tocon- vert all the “heathen” to Christianity. However, the church Yemoquayated 7 Toreadabouthowapriest, quetlatoque Bartolomé de Las Casas, supported the native people, turn to page 12. ascent Think about it: How would you feel if you were Atahualpa, and were told you must immediately change your rel- gion and accept the rule of some faraway king? Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look eeAtahualpa: A Ransomed King THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD Tetook Atahualpa a while to realize what the Spaniards were after, but finally he got it How to make | killing pay. .. Teer WT] Yo GUNS ARE GOAD-CRABNL IE LATER oo | FILL TH OOM OP RED (Wit GOLD, WILL YOO | : “Whenallthegold wasmelted down, each soldier got more than Prince Philip of Spain made in a year, and Pizarro became therichestman inthe world. He owned 83 kilos of solid gold. So now these people — the Aztecs and the Inca —were all conquered, what happened next? Did things settle down a a Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look eerGENOCIDAL NUMBERS Lifeand Death in the New Colonies For the indigenous peopl, the next enury could be summed up ina wor Cortés, Pizzaro, and the other conquistadores awarded the ‘men who came with them with encomiendas — grants of land, including the native people who lived on the land. Theoreti- cally, these native people were not slaves. It was the responsi bility of the Spaniard to teach them Christianity and to takecare Columbus originally of them. landed, the popula Life for the native people now be- nt mn Saation Wo came one endless round of work 300 within 12 years. But really, most ) and pain. Their cultural dances * In Puerto Rico and Ja~ Spaniardsthought | and ceremonies were outlawed. maica,theoriginal popu- ‘Their role was to become docile, of oe perple Chrstianservans content save lisposable. »bedient ‘the Spanish. worked them unt | ae they wore out, 1603, Santiago, Chile: then you threw Santiago's town. Carls pur- awoy! chases a new branding iron, to cee brand indian slavesontheface. lation of 600,000 people was reduced to 200 in alfa century. InMexico the population was reduced from 21 million in 1519 to 2.6 million in 1565. All in all, experts calculate that the number of indig- enous American people in 1492 was between 90 and Lima announces that | | 1625, Samayac, Guatemala: the native people of | | Juan Maldonado, a judge, de- Peru may no longer | | claresit illegal for Indians to do perform their tradi- | | their traditional dances. The In- Honal songs or | | dians,hedlaims,“losemuch time How did they all die? rible punishments are promised for any | | ing their households. who disobey. disobeying will get 100 lashes. ‘* Thousands died from pneumonia and malnu- trition after, being en- slaved to work in the ES Think about it: The European colonialists practised ethnocide — the attemptto stamp out the culture of the, people they conquered. What made them do this, do you think? Are there any ways in which people in Canada are also guilty of ethnocide? Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look He“The cries of so much spilled human blood reach all the way to heaven: those burned alive, roasted on grills, Ican’tbelieve... just can‘tbelieve that nobody spoke up and com- plained! Bartolomé de Las Casas — The People's Voice 1510: The Church of Santo Domingo, in Haiti Bartolomé de Las Casas, a wealthy young landowner, slave- ‘owner and adventurer, goes to churchand listens toasermon. ‘The sermon is about the native people, and the cruelty of the Spaniards. The sermon changes Bartolomé's life. Bartolomé goes home and frees his slaves, sellshis property, gives the money away, and asks to become a priest. Heis the Birstpriesttobe ordained in the New World. And whata priest Fearlessly, he battles the Spanish landowners of the New ‘World and the Spanish nobility and church leaders in Spain. ‘The new king, Charles the Fifth, is pressured by Las Casas to draw up some new rules to protect the native people. Slavery isto be stopped. Butitisa long way from the Old World tothe colonies of the ‘New World, and the landowners of the Americas choose to ignore the new laws. rs Heck! These boys in Spain don't : “Spanish noblemen know what they're talking about! BR would bet on their ability to completely cut an Indian in half with a single blow of the sword; babies were snatched from their mothers and dashed against the rocks, natives would be hung from gibbets, 13 at a time, to comniemorate Christ and 12 | apostles.” But, thoughBartolomécom- attempting to discredit Bartolomé, and to present the conquis- plained aboutthe conditions - tadores (conquerors) as brave and just warriors. of colonialism, he never ‘Attheage of 92, Bartolomé de Las Casasdies. Heismoumed complained about colonial- by the few native people left in the Spanish colonies. Sp Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookThe Seven Pillars of Colonialism ft Grabbing the Land ‘Growing for Europe bad about coloniat- a important colori for i ]] The most important col ] | When the conquistadoresar- in? aim in both Mexico and Peru rived in Latin America, a | wide variety of corns, cluding land) from the people squashes, cassava and other who lived there. This re- crops were grown. The source-grabalso included the people were well-fed and labour of the people, who healthy. But you wouldn’t ‘were expected to make the find many Spaniards who colonistsand mothercountry [| wanted toeatcassava! So the Tich by contributing free, or ‘crops were replaced by a almost-free, labour, single crop to be sent to the EEE colonizing country: sugar, Think about i: tobacco, or ubber, The creation of huge =o plantations owned by [4 bt are c @ few people might are the draw- pzedwholesocietios 1741 ee somectfectioer fe] backs fo relying on a odifteenee today. ‘on. Canyouthinkwhat single crop? to grow- that effect would be? ing crops for export? Colonialism orga- Developing Europe El consuming cotoniatly || EB) Hatching Hierarchies The minerals and crops The purpose of colonies, as The whole system in the colo- Produced in the colonies wellasto provideraw materi- niesdependedonasmall num- ‘were all loaded on ships for “home.” The riches of to develop Europe. country (at a high price, of sommes: counsel, So toad industries lavishly on silver platters, Think about it: weren't encouraged in the [| while the poor were lucky to How might things colonies. get anything at all! i i tacoma en be different today it Think about ft: Think about it: these resources seme had been used to How might the lack of How would this “élite’ " industries affect these affect development Ane counties today? later on? Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookEy Kiting cuttures they made: and tradition of the native people. ee 2, clothes!” Perna’ Think about it: selves and their culture? What about resistance? Didn’t any of the people revolt? ( jrebelién! ‘Although the conquerors weresmall in number, everyone learn their language, they converted everyone (often with threats) to their religion, and they outlawed much of the culture “Well, my goodness, youcan’tbeacivilized person unless you speak Spanish, wor- ship Jesus, and wear What effect might this policy of *ethnocide” have on the way that the native people feel about them- Exploling the Land “Land, give me land! I want to own it, I want to mine it, I want to chop the treesdown and grow tobacco on it. This land will make me rich!” ETAT Think about it: today? {'shardtorevoltwhenthe other people have all the guns, but many of the native people did continue to revolt for centuries, Inall parts of the world, explorers discovered indigenous people who felt themselves con- nected to the land and to other creatures in a spiritual sense. They did notregard the land as “property” or “exploitable resources,” butas.a fertile source of life. The colonizers, on the other hand, thought differently. How might this “grab & exploit” att. tude towards land have an effect I Bolivio, 1781: Mexico, 1848: Julién Apaza proclaims himself viceroy and | | 15,000 Peru, 1780: ‘organizes an army of 20,000 Indiansto com-| | Mayans of the José Gabriel Condorcanqui, who also ‘bat the troops of the official viceroy. ‘Yucatan rise callshimself Tépac Amaru I after the up and attack ast of the Inca leaders, stirs up mas- | | El Salvador, 1833: the sive rebellion of the Indian and black | | Aquino, the chief ofthe Indians of El Salva people of Peru. They join with com- dor, raises 3,000 men to fight against the ‘The battles mon people of Spanish and Mestizo colonialists. He proclaims that Indians will continue for (mixed) blood, who have risen up ina never again be slaves nor soldiers, norfam- | | Years, at a cost tax revolt. Taipac Amaru II is finally | | ished, nor drunk. Betrayed by his Heuten-| | of over captured and executed in Cuzco. ant, he is captured and beheaded. 150,000 dead. Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look‘So what was going ‘on in North America while Latin America was being colo- nized? ‘Colonization in North America wasn't far behind. The settlers faced some of the same problems, and they handled them in similar ways. 1607: SETTLEMENT IN NORTH AMERICA IS ESTABLISHED AT JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA ere ace cals teem eis) ‘The Puritans of New England lived in an uneasy truce with the ‘But really, they wanted the Pequots out of land. Then came the excuse. Captain Stone, harasser of Indians, was killed by the : raiding the Narranganset Indians on Block Island and Pequot villages along the coast, destroying crops as they went. War had begun. +1637: Captain John Mason and his British forces, with the help of ‘some Mohegan and Narraganset Indians (there's that divide and rule tactic again!) attacked a Pequot village at Mystic, Connecticut. He set fire to the wigwams, and the five or six hundred people who tried to escape —men, women and children — were killed. “Those that scaped the ‘Gre were slaine | 19 1972 there were with the sword; 21 Pequot people some hewed to left in Connecti- other || cut. And that wos J not subdued the | Pine throw cit how it was — all $B) do not have a civil Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look over the US. The settlers wanted land; the native people didn’t caped very few | wont theirland enero taken. Sometimes aight to oe ee, treaties were frying: oa | made, sometimes not. Often treaties ‘were broken,What's the matter with these Indians? We should get a few of them Spaniards here — show Shomer fo / kha 1611: St oaaahee aay ot hard work, I still feel there i ania must be an easier way ! Every man, woman or child will work in the fields or else!!! ‘The settlers finally get to work, planting the won- der crop — tobacco. aS Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookMeanwhile, the ferertrares uacHe ucune main ee eats European nations were quarreling 1756-1763: The 7 Years’ War About how the rest [=| in Europe, Britain and Prussia battle France, Austria and Russia. But the of the world should [7] French and the British didn’t fight it out in France and Britain. They be divided up. || preferred to have it out in North America and India, where they were quarrelling over who should have contol. Fight well, lads! This war will decide ¥ who owns Canada! of Paris “Britain Now holds tirle 1o Canada, East and West Florida, reraitony cast of thé Mississippi, rhe Canibbeaw islands of Sr, Vincent, Tobago, Dominica, ro say working of rhe lands of India... .” | 1763: The Treaty Think about It: How do you think the French-speaking colonists felt about the Treaty of Paris? How might the native people have felt about it? Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look epAnd then, to top it off, the colonists on the coast ” Britis ica te 1767: Britain quarrel with This 7 Years’ Britainover | War cost a who should bundle. We pay what should tax toxes. those Ameri- can colonies to help pay for it! America, Gee, isn'tit great that TT 7 Deon oe 1" colonization finally ended ‘Top Headlines of the Year forthe George ‘Americans A Washing- C people in ton. says, | Lime the United “We've had | | American Forces | Sp! enough.” | |Capture Montreal self-evident, that ‘aa all men. Driven Out of —~ Canada The United States of acing Sooner Roe America War Over! Independence at Last! got inde- George Wash- War of Indepen- pendence dence. “Freedom early. Recomoneot Ament" he tater, all the American sated, these colo- nies we've Decnian, SRE EO ng rte Think about it: During the next 150 years, nearly all'the indepen- world's colonies will become independent. dence. But 4 What do you think US independence meant papers for the African slaves and the native people? tion i: What did Canadian independence mean for Indepen- the First Nations people of Canada? For dence for those people to feel independent, what whom? things would have to change? Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look =The Choctaws began the long joumney west. The army In the 1830s, over 200 Senne over its job to private Indiancommunitiesin the government as much as possibleand gave the ‘Alabama and Georgia » The first winter was one of the coldest on were relocated. US. Sevord, and people died of pneumonia, Inthe summer, cholera broke out, President Andrew and many more died. mm decided that zine ee The Cherokees St of ‘The Cherokee people initially refused to move, The State of Georgia put panele them. Their i their traditional lands on tomakeway forwhite settlers. About 100,000 people were to be moved across the Mis- Saaasced, their land invaded bylooters, thugs rernment did nothing to protect them. the US army drove the 17,000 Cherokees across the Missis- sippi As they moved westward, they began to die — of sickness, of aekaght ofthe hea of exposure. Survivors told of halting a he edge of siding N) the Missisippi in the middle of winter, the river running full of ice, S Peo | ‘“undreds of sick and dying penned up in wagons or stretched upon the whom they didn’t ind.” Iti estimated that 4,000 Cherokees, almost a quarter of those mow. The three ma- ‘who set out, died. jor Indian nations in the Alabama-Georgia - region were the The Creeks ‘Choctaws, the Chero- Finally, a small group of Creeks, driven to. desperation by attacks, ‘Kees and the Creeks. harraccments and takeovers by whites, attacked some whitesettlers. This | gavethe US government the excuse itneeded to drive the Creek people in ‘chains, west of the Mississippi. Starvation and sickness killed many. ‘What happened on 1848: the other side of the Didn't they” ‘Jamestown Times Gold Discovered In California! may have found a place to settle for ‘owhile,butit didn’tlast long. Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookThe Sioux won the Battle of the Little Bighorn, but they hadn‘t won the wart Made to be We can’t let them get How can we keep Broken away with killing fighting when the The Sioux nation, of all | | Custer! Call in buffalo are gone and the Indian nations, was more armyl there's nothing left ‘one of the most deter- to eat? mined to resist the Sioux revolts in the 1860s, and peace was made by the signing of the Second Treaty of Ft. Laramie in 1868. The Siowxwere grantedown- ‘ership of a piece of their ginal land —the Black Hills of South Dakota Victory! Now we can cut down the size of the reserves, and take over the government, in- steadofkeepingitstreaty with theSioux,brokethis treaty — as it did most others —and| the miners. In 1875 it sent thearmy to takeover the Tich black hills. General George Custer and his 260 men, riding into a trap, were completely auakeepats Starving on the Reserves the famous Battie of the All the Sioux were ordered onto the reduced reserves. But the Lite Bighors reserves were now so small that it was hard forthe Sioux to survive. 1n1889 anew agreement gave away even moreSiouxland. There was so litte land that people were beginning to starve. Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookThe Ghost Dance I don’t like those natives Then: ti t, Wovoka, with welcome tidings: | doing that dance. It along came a native prophet, Wovoka, me tidings: preset cee If you do certain traditional dances and ‘in the army! . Tites, the white man will leave, and the ] yy" lands and buffalo will come back to you! | Ek ‘These dances — particularly one called the Ghost Dance— alarmed Those Sioux aren't The army stopped the 1} allowed to leave the ie f Ms Chief Sitting Bull when ipa es they were trying to ar- a rest him. Some of the Sioux were * so anxious and that they left their re- serve and went to hide in the Badlands. ule} The Downward Spiral || Whathappered to the Sioux then was similar to what happened to First The group of Sioux, | Nations People all over North America. Sioux children were taken many of them women | from their homes by force and put in residential schools. The Sun and children, surren- i] Dance, the annual ceremony which bound together all the Sioux com dered at a place called ‘munities, was banned by law and made a criminal offence. Wounded Knee, and More Sioux lands were removed from the reserve and handed. over to cattle dealers, By the 1920s nearly all prime grazing lands and they were sur- rounded when a scuffle broke out over a young brave'snewrifle. A shot A Rising Anger ervaenes i February 27, 1973: 200 members of the American Indian Movement fire on the unarmed (AIM) take over thereservation of Wounded Knee by force. They refuse Slow. ‘Those who ten telesre nnd the US Goverment agres o examine the conditions of eral onspaneas oa ‘Once again, native people are surrounded by troops at Wounded Soucend 0 atin Knee. Over 2 months late, the AIM members surrender, and the US government says that it will negotiate some of the native grievances. For many native and non-native people today, Wounded Knee has become a symbol of the injustices of colonialism. Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look SeInvading Native Lands and Cultures 1n Canada, the native people faced a lot of the same problems as native people in the US and in Latin America. The Beothuk people of Newfoundland were hunted down and killed like animals. The last Beothuk died in 1829. ‘Other First Nations people endured, but with difficulty: their What about land was taken, often without treaty; huge numbers died in measles 5 and smallpox epidemics; their culture was suppressed; their chil- native people in | | dren were taken away from them and put into boarding schools Canada? What ‘where the teachers tried tomake them “think white.” Asalways, the did colonialism do white people assumed that their culture and values were superior fo them? to those of the native people. “in the long hundred years since the white man came, Thave seen my freedom disappear like the salmongoing mysteriously out to sea. The white man’s strange customs, which I could not understand, pressed down on me until I could no longer breathe. And when T , ||| fought to protect my land and home, I was called a Sgt stant ‘savage.’ When Ineither understood nor welcomed the (rorthem peopl), and the || whiteman’sway oflife, Twas called lazy. When Itried Métis (with blood from both fo lead my people, was stripped of my authority.” Indians and early French ex- plorers or settlers). Accord- ing to the 1981 Canadian cen- ‘sus, there are 491,440 aborigi- ral people in Canada: Aboriginal Rights But, although every effort was made to crush the native people, they weren't about to give up. Through protests, petitions, letters, and ‘court cases, they pursued their rights. In 1982, the Constitution Act However,many. of Canada acknowledged for the first time that abgriginal people that this umber b too low: ‘ave certain rights. hese nee oe ny a “The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the Cae, ative People in aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recog- — nized and affirmed, But whatex- Good question. Different people Languages: ‘There are 10 eae actlyareab- —_ have different ideas about what talaing up to SP elstinct dia- original rights? “aboriginal rights” means. lects Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical LookTraditional Native Govemments Defining Aboriginal Rights 1n 1983,a series of First Ministers Conferences discussed aboriginal rights. The 10 provincial premiers, the prime minister and native representatives couldn’t come to any agreement about just what they were. Generally, aboriginal people feel that the rights they had when the white people arrived are the rights they should have now: land rights (including title to lands and resources that were never sold); ‘+ rights to hunt, fish and trap on traditional lands; «political rights (such as the right to self government). “What we feel is that aboriginal title or aboriginal right is the right to collective ownership of land, water, resources, both renewable and non-renew- able. It is right to self-government, a right to ‘govern yourselves with your own institutions, ‘whichever way you want your institutions to run; the right to language, to culture, the right to basi- cally practice your own religion and customs, the right to hunt, trap and fish and gather are cer- tainly part of that, but it is not all of it.” ‘— Clem Chartier, Métis National Council, 1983 “Call this a 1? Where's your king? You can’t have a govern- ment without a king, can you?” Butmany native people—then and now — consider native itand justicesystems to be much better than the “white” systems. ‘SomeIndian tribal coun- cils have already gained some self-government. The Nisga’a people of northern B.C. have their own School District, and control of their own social ser- vices. Do you mean to say that you people want not just your own land but your own government — like a separate country or province? SB Well, | admit it sounds a bit wild at first. 4 but think about it. In the countries of peeone pits the ere dida vee about it lotof damagetoculturesand econo- What government mies, but they eventually went home, and people Gof their independence. But in the New World — Ce ee a North and South America — the colonists never ‘councils should went home. To us native people it sometimes have? Can you seems that we ’relivingin anoccupied nation. Ifthe: figure ‘out a system Afficans can achieve independence, why can’t that would work? the original Canadians achieve some kind of na- tionhood status? Colonialism in the Americas: A Critical Look BSBut self-government is only part of i — what native people are looking for. Treaties Rightnow, abig questioninCanada Brom 1763 on, there were is the question of land claims. Leet eacanealeaeie rather than simply taking over the land without pay- ment. Often the treaties involved the payment ofa {| lump sum of cash, a small Canada was colonized by the English and French. The French | | annual cash payment ‘weren't primarily out for the land, but for trade; the English f)_asually $5 per year, snd wanted land. In 1763, at the end of the 7 Years’ War, the native a reserve — part of the people began to realize that the victorious English were different | originallandtobesetaside to deal with than the defeated French. They were moving in and 1 forthenativepeopletolive taking over land. The Ottawa chief, Pontiac, organized thenative | on. And the treaties often people to resist the spread of the English. allowed for hunting and TTo help clear the air, King George II of Britain issued the fishing rights on theceded Royal Proclamation of 1763. ve Gtton native people I reserve for the Nations or were coerced into Slening Tribes of Indians “all the treaties. Since they didn’t Lands and Territories lying | oe Jand Ore to the Westward of the 4 hing to be owned, Sources of the Rivers which didn’t always understand at ving up. fall into the Sea from the i) haereresueme a West and North West.” * signed tea And that was quite a chunk! This. eau land could be sold by the native palcecice ge Seyi ce peopletosettlers,butonly through signthe treaties, the whites certified government agents. would take the land any- * This os enti at hte a the land ast of th ppachion Mountains, ae problem with et Ann e the signing of treaties was z that native people didn’t knowhow toread or write. Using an “x,” they had to No. Most of the Ontario and ‘sign pieces of paper with the Prairie bandssignedtrea- cating eae) Wier ties, but large parts of north- ee aeeee ad rae ‘So why are the em@Quebec,thenorthemre- ‘was different from what gions, the Marttimesand B.C. f] the signed treaty said. were left without treaties. LL Gad ‘when Canada Sometimes even when trea- q] Became a county, crown ties were signed the wording ecacasareeaceel wassounclearthat its mean- native delegations and ing is now being disputed. agree on treaties. Sp Colonialism in the Americas: Critical LookA Province of Unceded Land BC didn’tjoin Canada un- 1i11871,sothenativepeople who lived there had not been approached by any of the delegations who made treaties with the Ontario and Prairie native people. Sir James Douglas, the first governor of B.C, was con- cemed by the takeover of Jand by white settlers. In 1858 gold was discovered in the Klondike and the land-grab began. Home- steaders were allowed up to 320 acres of free land, and could buy more atcut- ate prices. (Native people, however, weren'tallowed to buy land or qualify for the homesteader grants.) Douglas tried to get money to buy native land, but was turned down. AI. though he managed to make some treaties, most ofthelandwasjustgrabbed. 1861: Tithe BotichColoal Offs, Desr Sir, Crud a lun of £3,000 to [bp ieatinpeplfer thar ‘Trutch the Terrible Douglas tried to protect the native people by setting aside reserves, butwhen heretired, the native peoples of B.C. fellon hard times. B.C. gotanew Lieutenant Governor, Joseph Trutch, who tried toreduce the Size of reserves, and resisted Ottawa's attempts to get treaties signed “Our Indians are sufficiently satisfied and had better be left alone. ..” Thanks to Trutch, the First Nations people of B.C. were left without treaties, and with small reserves ( ‘52 hectares in the Prairies). over of their lands. Fighting for the Land But the native people weren't going to take alll of this lying down! Right from the begin- ning they contested the take- hectares per person, compared to In the early 1900s, there is a lot of land claim activity. ‘Three chiefs of the Salish people go to London to present a petition to Edward VII, Pointing out that white people have settled on their land against their ‘wishes. Others follow. Edward says he's sorry, butonly the Canadian Government can help them. 1907: ‘The Nisga’a people begin to raise money to go 10 court. Into the 1920s, papersare prepared and pe- titions presented. 1927: A Joint Committee of Parliament dismisses all land claims, and ‘makes it illegal for native organi- zations to raise money to pursue their land claims. 1951: Raising money is finally legal again. The Nisga’a Tribal Council {goes to court in 1969, and to the ‘Supreme Court of Canada in 1973. ‘Thereisasplitdecision—3 judges for, 3 against, and 1 bowing outon a technicality. The closeness of this decision gives hope to other native peoples of-B.C. and the North. “They begin to prepare cases. 1973: ‘An Office of Native Claims is es- tablished in Ottawa. But the pro- cess is very, very SLOW. 1990: ‘The government of B.C. agrees, for the frst time, to participate in the negotiation of native land claims. Prime Minister Brian ‘Mulroney announces that the fed- eral governmenthopes to resolve Indian land claims throughout