Canada’s history has been shaped by settler colonialism. The Indigenous populations who had lived on the territory prior to the arrival of European colonists are now marginalized groups. But how...Show moreCanada’s history has been shaped by settler colonialism. The Indigenous populations who had lived on the territory prior to the arrival of European colonists are now marginalized groups. But how did they go from being trading partners to being forced into reservations? This thesis investigates changes in notions of political authority of Indigenous Peoples in Canada in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The findings include proof for a plurality of practices between settlers and Indigenous communities in the eighteenth century. In the nineteenth century, this plurality disappeared, and was replaced by the imposition of European practices on Indigenous Peoples. This change was due to a changing political landscape in the colony, with the Canadian colonial government gaining more independence and changing the doctrine on relations with Indigenous Peoples. These changes resulted in Indigenous Peoples being stripped of their political authority and ultimately falling under the authority of the Canadian colonial government, which had gained power in the same century.Show less
