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History of Residential Schools in Canada

History of Residential Schools: Body

"To Christianize and Civilize"

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History of Residential Schools: Quote
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Since the arrival of Europeans in the "New World", religious orders have been trying to convert Indigenous people to Christianity. This began in an era of cooperation during the fur trade in which missionaries from Europe accompanied traders to settlements in hope of converting the Indigenous people that were being traded with. Eventually this turned into a formal system of aggressive civilization. This took many forms including the removal of Indigenous people off of their land and onto reserves, government bans on traditional ceremonies such as the potlatch, and the residential school system.

History of Residential Schools: Body
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The The Royal Proclamation of 1763 states that treaties must be signed in order to gain control over land. In Canada these treaties the majority of the prairies in what are known as the numbered treaties. When signing these treaties to extinguish title to the land, Indigenous people were also promised several thing, notably schools and education. While there was the assumption that these schools would be day schools and on the reserve, this promise quickly transformed into the residential school system. The residential school system has its roots in the Day school system of the 1840s in which students were allowed to live with their families and still attend Western style schools during the day. The Davin report in the 1870s changed this as Davin had observed the Indian Residential School System in the United States and recommended that Canada should adopt a similar program in which children would be separated from their families for the duration of the school year in order to fully separate them from their traditional ways of life and immerse them in a Christian environment. This program would effectively “kill the Indian in the child”.

History of Residential Schools: Body
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This system was administered by the government of Canada but was implemented by various Christian churches. A good Canadian was effectively a good Christian and as such the church played a key role in not only the running of the schools but in the moral education of the students. Clergy members were responsible for providing teachers, upkeep of buildings, caring for the children and running daily programs. While the schools were run under the premise that they were for the protection and advancement of the children, it is clear that the schools are responsible for cultural genocide, generations of trauma and the separation of Indigenous people from their former ways of life. The schools were plagued with poor food, inadequate clothing, minimal health care, several outbreaks of TB, poor education, physical and sexual abuse, punishment for speaking one's native language and high death rates.

History of Residential Schools: Intro

To Conclude

This is the conclusion of your project. It’s where you sum up all of your main ideas and offer a final perspective. In a few sentences, review your strongest points and reinforce the assertion you made in your introduction. For the most effective conclusion, be concise, confident and focused.

History of Residential Schools: Conclusion

Video:
Truth & Reconciliation: Stories From Residential School Survivors

This short clip provides an overview of the residential school system in Canada and includes the stories of survivors throughout.

History of Residential Schools: Watch
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