How Aboriginal People Approached the Crowns - Assignment Example

[Corse History Essay Introduction The paper talks about the manner in which the aboriginal people (Indian, Inuit, Métis) approached the crown (Native Canadians) at the time of treaty-making. Furthermore, the paper will include a discussion concerning the formal and informal practices that were undertaken during the treaty-making. Similarly, this paper also discusses the approaches used by European or Canadian people in the formation of treaties with Aboriginal tribes and the formal and informal practices that established in the treaty-making process. How Aboriginal people approached the Crowns? The treaties that were signed between the Aboriginal people and a crown were the promises, obligations and benefits for both the sides. Treaty-making has a long term and profound impact on the Canadian society. It is also believed that treaties cover the issues concerning a large piece of land in Canada. The treaty-making process has a long history of 30 decades. The treaty was signed between Aboriginal people and other people in Canada that has been derived from the early relations between diplomats of European colonists and Aboriginal people. In the beginning, Canadians realized to take action when European colonists and Aboriginal people made alliances on the economic and military issues. The agreements that took place in diplomatic relationship alliance between European colonists and Aboriginal people were the beginning steps of the claims that were later made between group of Aboriginal people and the Crown (Elias). The relationship between Aboriginals and Crown is a constitutional and traditional combination. In the initial phase of treaty-making, there were a number of long-term promises and legal contracts were made concerning the protection of aboriginal’s welfare rights (Miller). In the early days of treaty making, when the Europeans states did not create colonies on the land of America, they followed the regime of self-government. The problems and elucidations were given by the Aboriginal heads themselves. The colonist powered their claims for sovereignty within the premises of North America on the basis of their respective beliefs. It was that they had discovered the land, but they were gradually building the power by trade and settlement, welfare and diplomacy. The person behind the constitutional change, William McDougall played an important role in compelling Canadians in the west for negotiation of treaties. Grit discrimination in politics and the question about religion significantly enforced the external actors that handicapped the Canadian province. The personal interest to handicap the Canadian province was that the leaders wanted an escape from their constitutional boundaries in general union of British North America (BNA). It was marked in the process of treaty-making that the relations between the colonies, union of BNA would be getting hold of Hudson’s Bay Company lands by the recently formed state. In this way, the remaining takeover of Rupert’s Land to the hatchling Canadian Authorities, created consequences. It was that the leaders of Canada experienced a situation of confronting each other with the intention of establishing a relationship politically with the Aboriginal people living in Western Canada. In other words, William McDougall supported a pathway to treaty making process in the lands of Hudson’s Bay Company. Since the Hudson Bay Company (HBC) was on the land of Rupert, it was the only group that needed to be dealt by Canada. HBC made good relations with Métis as well as with the First Nation. HBC had the monopoly of fur trading; they had to take care of the needs, demand and practices of the First Nation, who were important for the trade. In the time of events of Canadian amalgamation, HBC was facing corporate changes that brightened its role in Western Canada. The changes occurred would minimize the resentment towards settlement by HBC and bring them to the point of negotiations with treaties while being partner with Canada. In addition, the First Nations and the Métis were also the foremost players in the West. They were against the relocation of agriculture like the Hudson’s Bay Company has gone through this shifting. In that regard, First Nations and the Métis had played a part in the trade of fur that was first HBC then North West Company carried to the West. Later, the situation turned worst, and the food resources were getting limited that resulted in a series of wars between the First Nation and Red River Métis. It also became the cause of war was the fight for resources that is also known as ‘Buffalo Wars’. After the wars and its results, made First Nation and Métis to a point where they were forced apprehensively at the time of treaty making, initiated by Canadians in the years of 1870s. It was also supposed that in a condition of Canadian representation by William McDougall, there is a possibility that Metis and Indian both will be forgiven even viewing the country with pessimistic sight. William McDougall worked as a controller general for the affairs of Indians in a Canadian province at one time, where he worked to deprive First Nation living in the lands of Manitoulin Island. Nevertheless, he also had political background than working on a role for affairs of Indians. Where he introduced the voting system, which was by using a ballot instead of open voting in the major reform of politics in Canada. During the hard times on Aboriginals, which was created by the Roman Catholic missionary publication, their point of view was that West is full of dangerous Indians. Therefore, Hudson’s Bay Company had to keep its agriculturist out from the region for the trading of fur. On the treaty making of West, Hudson’s Bay Company changed its policies to facilitate adventurers who were the partners in the government of Canada. Although Hudson’s Bay Company has always mistreated missionaries and settlement of agriculture in the nineteenth century but then HBC changed their attitude optimistically. The change in attitude slowly resulted in the settlement of agriculture in the Land of Rupert. Company followed the Selkirk Treaty on the Anglican missionary arrival. On the whole Hudson’s Bay Company played a very important role in the treaty-making process and introduced many practices during the treaty process. How European people approached the aboriginal people? The European people were never sincere to the Aboriginal people in many respects including the British government. The European especially the British government was only concerned with its interest and was always in search of an opportunity to exploit the Aboriginal people. In the following paragraphs, some treaty have given as a sample of how the European betrayed or uses the Aboriginal clans for achieving their interest or to protect their interests. Royal Proclamation After defeating French by the British government in the North America, the British government turned to deal with the aboriginal people whose domination in Canada was prominent so far. The aboriginal people captured nine posts of British government in Canada during 1763. This captivation of the nine posts by the Aboriginal people was one of the reasons that led the British government to deal with the aboriginal people. The rising “aboriginal confederacy” under the leader Pontiac was also alarming. If an Aboriginal Confederacy had come into existence as a sovereign state, then it would be very difficult for the government of Britain to hold control over the Aboriginal people. Therefore, in 1763, within a short span of time, under Sir William Jonson a committee named “Royal Proclamation” came into existence to define boundaries among Quebec, the Anglo-American colonies, and Aboriginal people. This committee was a treaty in the sense of defining boundaries and giving widespread areas beyond the mountain of Appalachian to the aboriginal people. This proclamation was also important because it outlines that when and how the aboriginal territories will bring under the umbrella of colonialism. In addition, the proclamation nor only described the principles for negotiation of Crown-Aboriginal treaties but also the king banned to the person as well as to a colony in purchasing land from the aboriginal people through this treaty. The proclamation became the part of a constitution forming basis for the aboriginal treaties. The basic principles of proclamation are used whenever any treaty happens with the Aboriginal people in the modern period. The Royal Proclamation in its integrity was to save the interest of the British government. Treaty of Paris, 1783 Most of the Aboriginal people did not take part in the American Revolution, believing that if the British won the war, it would be the least threat to them. The essential reason of the American Revolution was the expanding boundaries of Western countries, especially of Britain. Despite the cooperation of the Aboriginal people with the British government, the government did not pay attention to the Crown treaties and brought a new treaty named the “Treaty of Paris” in 1783. In this treaty, new international boundary was drawn up by the side of the Great Lake. This new treaty was not in agreement with the treaty of “Fort Stanwix” and the “Covenant Chain”. Moreover, no Aboriginal people were invited in to participate in the Treaty of Paris. This treaty was an obvious betrayal of British government to the Aboriginal people and caused to lose the trust of Aboriginal people in Britain. This betrayal was not to one Aboriginal clan but the allies of Aboriginal clans. The Aboriginal allies were not ready to accept the new international boundary, and the weak, ill-equipped army of United States was defeated by the well organized and skillful Aboriginal confederacy known as Tecumseh’s Confederacy. Finally, President George Washington was compelled to accept the great country beside the Ohio River as the Aboriginal state. The victory of Aboriginal clan over American army The British government made a new strategy by observing the victories of Aboriginal confederacy over American army and formulated a strategy for having treaties between the British Crown and the Aboriginal people. The British government was strategic in planning to encourage the new Aboriginal confederacy between the Ohio River and the Great Lake. If this Aboriginal Confederacy became a severing national state, it would protect the British North America from the attack of the new Republican of America. The new American Republic thought that the North America and the new republic of America collectively form a state, and the North America is the indispensable part of the new republic of America (Nichols). Treaty of Jay The chance of becoming an Aboriginal nation state became less, when the Aboriginal Confederacy did not win the “Battle of Fallen Timbers”. It leads to the treaty of “Jay” in 1794. This treaty was important for the Aboriginal people because it gave permission to the Aboriginal people to move across the international border without any restriction. The Republic of America allowed the Aboriginal people who were living in Canada to work in America without any restrictions. However, the aboriginal people did not accept the international boundary between Canada and America because the boundary was the barrier that divided their lands. Treaties and private colonization companies Some of the Aboriginal leaders tried to do away with the treaty of the Royal Proclamation by stating that the Aboriginal People had the power to sell their lands to the private companies instead of the British government. Before taking this business its roots, the British government introduced the “Quebec Act”. This act gave favor to the interest of “fur-trade of Montreal”. This treaty also gave priority to the Aboriginal people over the Anglo-American people. The privileges given by this treaty to the Aboriginal people, was once again, to protect the interest of the British government. And if the Aboriginal people had started selling lands to the private companies than to the government of Britain, it would be very difficult for the government to prevent or get the lands of Aboriginal people for the benefits of the government (Cyr). It is evident that most of the treaty between the aboriginal and the European countries took place in the context of getting control over the lands or getting lands from the aboriginal people. The European countries were smart enough to dominate over the Aboriginal people and tried very hard in saving their interest through different treaties. However, these treaties also help one in understanding how the European people approached the aboriginal people and vice versa.   Works Cited Cyr, Hugo. Canadian Federalism and Treaty Powers: Organic Constitutionalism at Work. Toronto: Peter Lang, 2009. Print Elias, Peter Douglas. Development of Aboriginal Peoples Communities. Canada: Captus Press, 1991. Print Miller, James Rodger. Compact, Contract, Covenant: Aboriginal Treaty-making in Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009. Print Nichols, Roger, L. "Compact, Contract, Covenant: Aboriginal Treaty-Making in Canada." Ethnohistory 57.3 (2010): 481. Print Read More