According to the United Nations, "Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible."
In this investigation, you will explore the history of residential schools in Canada and the long-term consequences they have had on the culture of the First Nations Peoples. In the absence of critical inquiry, judgments and misinformation lead to stereotypes. When stereotypes are unfairly applied to groups regardless of individual differences in every group, "discrimination" can occur, with damaging, even deadly, results.
The federal government's solution to the "Indian problem" was to use schooling as a way to assimilate Aboriginal children into white Christian society. It was hoped that eventually all these peoples would be assimilated. This process would strip them of their culture, languages, heritage and spiritual beliefs.
Assignment
*Please read the document in the link below.
Residential Schools
Name
Terms
Define these terms:
- assimilation
- reconciliation
Questions
Answer in complete sentences remembering to provide detail, evidence and quotes to support your answers.
- What were residential schools? Why were they created?
- How did residential schools change after 1880?
- Examine the immediate impact that residential schools had on the children? (see under the heading "Isolation and Assimilation")
- Describe what life was like at these residential schools? How would you describe the education they received? Was there abuse?
- Watch the video entitled "Intergenerational Trauma: Residential Schools" ..............(found towards the end of the article). Discuss the long-term consequences that these residential schools have had on individuals, families, and First Nations culture.
- Reconciliation is a process of healing and restoring friendly relations -a process Canada is working toward between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. Do you believe the Canadian government's attempts at reconciliation over the residential school system have been enough? Why or why not?
***As always, if you have any questions or concerns please post them on this website by clicking on the "Comments" tab (as your question could help a classmate); otherwise type your responses on a word document and email it to me (by Saturday) at:
[email protected]