First Nations Pre-ContactGrade 6 Social Studies

What do you think is meant by pre-

contact?

In what ways do you think the Europeans changed life for the

First Nations?

Geography

First Nations people lived here for years without political boundaries

Mexico recently made boarders, but in the past they did not have any

Geography

There were many different ENVIRONMENTS such as forests, grasslands, mountains, lakes, beaches

Many different WEATHER (wet or dry, cold or hot)

Many different WILD LIFE (many species or else deserted)

How do you think the Europeans changed the Geography of North America?

Geography There was no

relationship to present day boundaries, they were broken into Arctic, sub- Arctic, Eastern Woodlands, Great Plains, Coastal Pacific, High Plateau. These areas are now shared by USA & CND

• First Nations weren’t political; rather they were defined by environmental region they lived in. They were free to roam

as they wished—survival only thing stopping them

Use of the Environment

The First Nations used the land to hunt animals for their survival

They used every part of the animal, so nothing would go to waste

In addition to hunting, they searched for plants and vegetation to eat

In the Eastern Woodland there were plenty Birch trees that were used to make snowshoes, toboggans, canoes, wigwams, cooking pots

Around the Coast there was salmon, where they would fish for food

In the Prairies there were buffalo—which was used for food, clothes, teepees

The First Nations were very spiritual and they lived very close to nature, they learned to identify with trees, animals, and the land

They believed that all living things have souls, this includes plants and animals

Task

Reflect on the ways the First Nations treated the environment and on how people treat the environment today

Complete the t-chart to compare and contract the ways the environment was used then, and how it is used now