Nations at War - Episode 3

 Good morning, we will continue with the series Nations at War.  The first part of the episode focuses on the Cree and their last stand.  In the second half of the episode, the terrain of North America is explored and how it shaped warfare and alliances between the First Nations.

It is the 1870’s, and the Canadian west has been transformed.  The buffalo, which head fed the first nations were in trouble.  IT started with the discovery of Hudson Bay.  This vast body of water connected the west to the rest of the world.  Explorers could take these rivers and explore the wilderness.  The British took advantage of these waterways and made connections with the Cree.  The Cree were part of the Canadian wilderness.  They became the ultimate middlemen in trade with the Hudson Bay Company.  For over 200 they guided the fur traders.

The Cree became part of a global economy.  They had access to guns, horses, and manufactured goods.  However, this success bred enemies.  The Blackfoot Confederacy rose to challenge the Cree dominance.  However, the Cree had their allies and created the Iron Confederacy.  These two confederacies would shape the politics of Western Canada.

The more the Cree traded, the more British influence grew.  In 1812, the first British settlement was built and this would have a huge impact on the Cree.  The buffalo, the most important food source of the plains, nearly vanished.  This devastated the First Nations.  Their old partnership with the Hudson Bay Company was no help.  When Canada was formed, the politicians had big plans for the land and they did not include the Cree.

Rather than subjecting the First Nations, the Canadian government tried to work with the first nations and created treaties with the people.  These treaties would put the First Nations on preserves and the government would feed them.  The Cree had no choice but to accept these terms, the people were starving.  They had to learn how to farm.  Even though the Cree tried to adapt to Canadian ways, they were still shut out of the system.  This bred resentment among the Cree and they wanted to make the government in Ottawa pay.  Tensions rose and finally reached a boiling point.  The region was at war and the Cree attacked Fort Battleford.  Frog Lake was attacked.  This attack would backfire on the Cree.  The Canadian Government would answer these attacks with force.  So how would the Cree come out of these struggles with the Canadian Government?  The Cree eventually attacked and destroyed another fort.  How would the Canadian government respond?  Tune into the rest of this episode to find out.

In the 1600s, Europeans started settling in North America.  They wanted to form good trading relationships with the First Nations.  The French built a good relationship with the first nations and were able to form the colony of Acadia.  However, the Jamestown colony would not enjoy a good relationship with the first nations.  The settlers did not accept the authority of the Chief and conflicts ensued.  The Colony of Virginia was finally established which would end these conflicts.  These conflicts with the First Nations taught them some hard lessons and to learn what those lessons were continue to watch this episode.
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It would have been interesting to hear how the Blackfeet and Cree Confederacies shaped the politics of the Canadian west.  The second part on the Jamestown and the colonies was interesting and would be a good section to show in a classroom.  So far, this series has had some bright spots, however, I am finding myself disappointed as I continue to watch these episodes.