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Jan 1, 1535
Canada is Named
In 1535 explorer Jacques Cartier was sailing up the St.Lawrence river when the Iroqois showed him the route to a village called "Stadacona", the future site of Quebec City, used the word "kanata". From then on Cartier used the term Canada for the settlement at Stadacona. -
Period: to
Europeans Bring Disease to the Huron
During the 1600's the Huron were driven from their land and forced to split up into two groups. At this time their were around 40,000 Huron people. When the Europeans arrived they brought with them their foreign diseases and killed off some 30,000 of the Huron between 1634 and 1640. -
Robert Semple Killed in Battle of Seven Oaks
In 1816 Robert Semple head of the HBC was killed in a gun battle against 60 Metis and French Canadian people from the Northwest Company. Semple and his men had set out to intercept the group, and ended up with 20 of his own dead including himself. -
Metis Migrate due to Lack of Bison
Since the European's arrived in the Metis' land the bison have been going down rapidly in numbers. Because of lack of resources from the bison the Metis are forced to buy European-made items and many Metis decide to migrate to the Northwest. -
Canada Purchases Rupert's Land
Canada purchases Rupert's Land from the HBC and turns it into what is now part of Manitoba and the North West Territories. Originally, the land was supposed to be handed over to the Canadian gov't on the first of December, 1869, but due to the Red River Rebellion the date was pushed to July of 1870. -
Treaty #6
The Plain and Wood Cree decided they needed to sign a treaty with the Canadian Monarch because of the rapidly decimating number of bison in their area. Without the bison the chief of the Cree people knew his people would either starve to death or need to keep attacking the settlements. The terms of treaty 6 included money and land for the natives as well as things such as horses and wagons for the chief. They also received assistance for famine and pestilance. -
Battle of Duck Lake
Louis Riel and the Metis fight with the NMP at Duck Lake. The Metis were upset with the government over the land and attack the NMP. In the end the Metis lose the battle and Louis Riel is hanged for treason. -
Alberta and Saskatchewan become part of Canada
Henry Kelsey, the first European to sail up the saskatchewan river in hopes of establishing a trading post. The name Saskatchewan comes from the Cree word kisiskatchewan; meaning swiftly flowing river. At the same time Alberta was formed. -
Indian Act Revised
Changed to limit the coverage given to the Natives, not including women who married non-Native men. -
CCRF
In 1960 the federal gov't passed the Canadian Bill of Rights, The Bill talked about fundamental freedoms, legal rights, and equality. Because the original constitution was passed by British Parliament, only they could change it. So for many years Prime Ministers tried to get it changed. -
Last Residential School closes
The last federally run residential school closes. Residential schools were made to turn Native children "christian" and to "civilize" them. -
Indian Act Ammended
Indian Act changed to allow members off the reserves to vote.
