Middle School Indigenous Studies: Part 3- Early Trade in Canada Activity

I was thinking of a way to illustrate the changes that took places for First Nations when the Europeans came to Canada.  So, I created an activity to simulate the changes for the First Nations people went through during the formation of Canada.

My activity is based on a few card games I found online searching for something to do.  If you are interested in looking at these activities, I have added some links for you to look at:

• http://engagingstudents.blackgold.ca/files/7914/0294/7674/Fur_Trade_Game.pdf
• http://www.letrocdesidees.ca/en/game.php
• https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Nation-Trading-Game-English-and-French-cards-2460591 (For BC curriculum, so I adapted) [If you buy this, and want my cards, you can send me a screen shot of your receipt, and I will send you the file of my cards.  Because my game was modelled after this one, I would like to make sure that this teacher gets the credit. I did make a few changes with my game; I added a round that looks at the Indian Act and Confederation; and I added a round in which disease factors in. ]

Here's the breakdown of how my activity fits the Ontario Social Studies curriculum:

Ontario Curriculum Expectations covered: 

Grade 6 Social Studies Expectations:

A1- Assess contribution to Canadian identities made by various groups and communities including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities and various features of Canadian communities and regions

A2- Demonstrate an understanding of significant experiences of, major changes and aspects of life in, various historical and contemporary communities, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities of Canada

Concept of Social Studies Thinking:

• Cause and Consequence- The need to trade with the First Nations in North America had complex impacts on the settlers, and ultimately, a negative impact on the indigenous peoples.
• Significance- the first contact of settlers and the colonization of Canada led to the genocide of indigenous populations; and further the subjugation of First Nations as the colony of Canada expanded and stole First Nations’ lands.  This began with the trade of non-native goods with Europeans, and later dependance on the colonists throughout the development of Canada.
• Perspective- the inequity of early trade

The Big Ideas for this activity are:

• First Nations contributions to Canada’s development
• Significant events that have contributed to the development of the identity of First Nations in Canada 

Duration: This activity takes a while.  For my class, it took 80 minutes to complete.

Materials:

• Trading Cards (photocopy each set of trading cards five times on thick paper for a total of thirty cards per trade items, 12 smallpox cards and 6 immunity cards. Cut out each card and laminate if possible. I can make these available upon request.) 
• 30 Tools cards 
• 30 Blanket cards (and HBC blankets for settlers)
• 30 Metal Tools cards
• 30 Fur cards 
• 30 Berries cards
• 30 Meat cards 
• 30 Canoe cards 
• 12 Small Pox Cards
• 6 Small pox immunity cards
• String to make Reservation boundaries
• Reservation Sign
• Jail Sign
• Exit card copies
• Debrief worksheets

The activity's objective was to try to get 1 card from all six categories.

Here's how to game was organized and what happened:

Round 1: Traditional First Nations Trading (Pre-European Contact)

The students pretend that they have been sent to the trading area by their First Nation community to trade the items they have plenty of (surplus) for the items they will need to see them through the winter and the next year.  I randomly handed out (upside down) 6 of the same type of cards to each student.  On my signal, students went around to other students and trade cards, attempting to trade for all 6 cards. 

This round was the easiest for the students to trade with each other.  So, we moved onto the next round.

Round 2: The Explorers Arrive (First Contact)

For this round, I chose 3-5 students who will speak a different language: they will only be able to say “bah,” no other words.  This round they must trade for the 6 items only speaking their other known bah-language trying to give away their "Metal tools" cards (Context:  the Explorers brought new technology [metal, wool, and glass] with them such as, metal knives, guns, and copper pots.)  Then the students went on trading again with the same goal- to get one of each 6 cards.

The context for this round: The student’s chosen were acting as the first explorers to arrive in North America. They were trading the ‘Tools’ cards because the Explorers brought new tools for the people to use. Even though the language they spoke was different, they were still able to trade goods using other methods.

Round 3: The Fur Trade (Trading Posts)

This round I separated all the Berry cards from the stack and redistributed the cards to the students (without Berries). I explained to the students that ‘Berries’ are like gold. The year was very wet and most of the berry crop was spoiled.  Silently, I gave two students six berry cards and instruct them to trade 1 berry for as many cards as they can get.  After a minute of trading, I announced, “The Trading Post is now open for business! Who needs some Berries!” I had the student line up and I traded my berries cards for as many cards as I could get from them.  I ended up getting almost 80 cards for the 28 berry cards I had.   During the debrief, we talked about fair trading,  and how the trading post I ran was unfair to the other traders. 

The context for this round: Indigenous people were not treated fairly. They were usually taken advantage of.  (For example, 1 bag of flour for 10 furs) Once European contact was made the Europeans realized the importance of the natural resources discovered in North America, especially furs, and began in earnest to establish control over the Indigenous people and their land. One way of controlling the flow of furs was to establish a Trading Post. The Trading Post was a centrally located Fort where Indigenous peoples and Fur Traders could exchange their furs for supplies. The problem was that the Trading Post could decide the value of a fur and at any time and could manipulate its value to benefit them.

Round 4: Disease Destroys the Communities (Small Pox)

In this round; I explain to the students that not only did the interactions with the Europeans bring new technologies, but new diseases, such as small pox. The small pox was brought over by people. Therefore you did not have enough people remaining in your community to gather all the extra items you needed to trade. Now they needed to decide which items they need to trade for and which ones they can do with out.  Also, there was the chance of contracting small pox, through contact with settlers.  If you contract small pox, students would die (sit down).  As a result, they only got 3 cards to trade for this round, and some got "Smallpox" cards to hand out.  

Context for this round: Diseases brought over by the Europeans had devastating effects on the indigenous people of Canada. Whole communities were wiped out. Other communities banded together with who was left in order to survive. It is estimated that 90% of Canada’s First Peoples died from foreign diseases after contact.  Imagine: with that many people gone, who was left to teach the language, culture, and skills? 

Round 5: Confederation, 1867: Canada and the ‘Indian Act, 1876“

Instructions: This round; the students experience the effects of the Indian Act. Have students sit into six groups. Each group should be collected around one of the designated Chief’s. Attach the string to create a boundary for each reservation. 

I announced that a new government has been formed and in order to let the new European settlers have land, the Indigenous people will have to stay on Reserves established by this government. Students could not move out of this reserve unless you get permission from the Government Agent. The students group had to pick one person to take one card to trade with when the Government (Indian) Agent announces that it is time to trade in the designated Trading Area (Teacher chooses the area and can have it change. each round.) The groups will have to decide what they want most.One person from the reserve has permission to trade for 1 minute with the other groups in the trading area. If they did not return to your reserve at the designated time they will be put in jail, and the students would pick a new designate to trade.

Context: The introduction of the Indian Act of 1876 forced Aboriginal Peoples on to reservations. All Aboriginal Peoples became ‘wards’ of Canada; meaning that all decisions were made by a government agent (Indian Agent). First Peoples could not vote, could not own land, and could not leave their reservation to hunt or fish unless they had permission. If they were caught practicing any cultural celebration, all regalia and other ceremonial items would be confiscated and sold. If they became a teacher or lawyer, they would no longer be considered an Aboriginal person.  In 1884, the Act was amended to include “mandated education” for Indigenous children to teach them to read and write English. These became the infamous Residential school system that forced religious conversion, sickness and abuse in children.  The schools also attempted to sever family ties between First nations children and their communities. 

This activity was  a hit with my class.  They loved the game aspect of the activity.  They had some good insights during our debriefs too.  After the activity, students had to complete an exit card to show their thinking about the activity.