For most people, economic empowerment means having enough money to meet their needs-- and a little extra for the special things they want.

Another term for this is ECONOMIC SECURITY.

Throughout time, every society in the world has had some kind of economic system.

The main purpose of an economic system is to answer these questions:

1. What goods and services do people need and want?

2. How can we produce these goods and services?

3. How will we distribute them?

The way people answer these questions depends on the technologies they use.

Two categories of economies:a. PRE-INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY- Do

NOT use manufacturing technologies to produce goods for sale.

b. INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY- USE manufacturing technologies to produce goods for sale.

The first industrial economies started in Europe in the late 1700s.

Industry is now part of economies in most regions of the world.

3 Groups of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada Today

1. First Nations: are the First Peoples of Canada. There are many First Nations including the Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and Innu of the Atlantic region.

2. The Inuit: the First Peoples of the region north of the tree line (where it is too cold for trees to grow) and in parts of what are now Quebec and Labrador. Two examples of Inuit are Quebec Inuit and Labrador Inuit.

3. The first Métis: were the children of either Inuit or First Nations women and European traders. The Métis today are

descendants of these people, or they may define themselves as Métis because of their distinct culture and traditions.

NEEDS AND WANTS

In the past, First Nations and Inuit depended on the land and natural resources for survival.

Therefore, the economy of each nation was based on the natural resources available in the region.

--For example, since trees cannot grow in the far north, Inuit built winter homes using blocks of snow or whale bones, stone, and sod.

New Brunswick- Important Natural Resources at the Time of First

Contact

a. birchb. deerc. cariboud. river and ocean fish

*** **Moose were also important in the Atlantic region, except on Newfoundland and Labrador. Moose did not live there until the early 20th century.*** **

First Nations and Inuit made the goods they needed with their hands using mostly stone and bone tools.

People usually travelled during the year to harvest or hunt resources as they became available

Everyone usually worked together, but men and women often did different jobs. Men- hunt Women- prepare meat and hides.

A PART OF NATUREThey believe that people are part of a

natural system that includes the land, water, plants, and animals.

The land and natural resources are seen as the source of life and must be used wisely to ensure the survival of future generations.

An important part of the traditional production of goods would often be prayers and other ceremonies to show respect and give thanks for resources.

In most First Nations and Inuit communities, everyone helped with production, and everyone shared equally in what was produced.

People did what they could to help one another.

In some regions, nations had boundaries of their territories and defended their lands from other nations.

In other regions, people from different nations freely moved back and forth over the same areas.

They also had trade networks.

NO ONE OWNED THE LAND

First Nations and Inuit did NOT have a tradition of private ownership- the idea that one person has complete control over an area of land.

Europeans came to North America in the 1500’s.

NEEDS

Why did Europeans come to North America?

1. wanted to own more land- Private land ownership is a very important idea in European cultures.

2. to spread their culture and religion around the world.

3. looking for ways to gain wealth.

4. looking for natural resources, such as, timber, furs, seal oil and pelts, and minerals, to sell back in Europe.

1. Fish 1st resource to attract Europeans to N.A.

-Millions of codfish around Newfoundland and Labrador.

-Important part of European diet because of religious beliefs. (sometimes could eat only fish)

-Sent cod back to markets in Europe. English fisherman fished in the summer and returned to Europe in the fall.

-Eventually fishermen began to stay and settle in N.A. creating their own fishing industry-1700s.

2. Furs high quality furs in N.A.- Beaver pelts wanted in Europe for making hats.

- Europeans traded goods (blankets and guns) for furs.

- Many First Nations peoples already had trade systems, so the Europeans became part of these systems.

- Like the fishers, fur traders first came only in the summer, but they gradually stayed and settled.

3. Timber By the time Europeans came to N.A. most of the trees in Europe were cut down.

- The lumber in N.A. was valuable to Europeans for shipbuilding.

- Later, many Europeans settled in N.A. because of its forests.

Europeans made things by hand using simple metal tools until the 1700’s.

Even after factories began in the 1700’s, many objects were still made by hand.

Some goods were made by people who specialized in one area / trade (blacksmith-metalwork).

In larger towns and cities, people could buy what they needed from many workshops- bakers, dressmakers, shoemakers, etc.

In the countryside, farm people often produced more of their own goods. For ex. sheep’s fleece was spun into wool, then wove into cloth.

These skills were helpful to Europeans when they arrived in N.A.

The early settlers had to do everything for themselves.

They hoped to eventually build towns and cities like the ones in Europe.

-The main goal for most Europeans was to work to benefit themselves and their families. (Make a profit for themselves)

- Goods and services were distributed through markets. ( buying and selling with money)

When European settlers came to North America they had to use what they brought with them, could make for themselves, or trade.

There were few markets where they could buy what they needed or sell products.

The European settlers hoped to eventually set up the same kind of market system that was used in Europe.

Contact- refers to the time when Europeans first came to North America.

Early Contact in the Maritimes

-First Nations were willing to see what the Europeans were all about when they first arrived in the Maritimes.

-The Europeans needed the help of First Nations to survive in NA.

-Both groups realized that there were some good economic opportunities.

-The Europeans wanted furs and the First Nations peoples wanted trade goods such as metal knives and pots.

This was the beginning of the fur trade.Treaties

Treaty- is an agreement between two or more nations. A treaty may be made to settle a war or agree on economic issues. A treaty sets out the nations’ rights and responsibilities and is meant to be honored and respected.

-There were conflicts between the FN and E since Contact.

There were conflicts between the French and English who wanted to trade and settle in North America.

1700s- Great Britain had the most power in Atlantic Canada.

Great Britain and First Nations believed that treaties would help them get along.

Great Britain believed the treaties would make sure that First Nations would side with Britain in conflicts with France.

First Nations believed the treaties would ensure peace and allow them to maintain their way of life.

Before treaties were signed there were already problems caused by British settlers taking over First Nations territories. First Nations hoped treaties would resolve these problems.

1717-1779 Great Britain and FN made many treaties called the Covenant Chain of Treaties and Treaties of Peace and Friendship.

The main idea of the treaties was the FN agreed to act peacefully toward the British, and the British agreed to respect First Nations rights.

FN did not agree to give up land or natural resources to Britain.

Today, these treaties are still in force and apply to the Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Maliseet of the Maritimes.

Effects of the Fur Trade

FN economies changed because of the fur trade.

Before the fur trade, FN spent parts of the year hunting animals and parts of the year fishing.

With the fur trade, people began to spend more time hunting for fur-bearing animals such as fox and beaver.

These pelts were highly valued by the Europeans.

This resulted in the FN not hunting and fishing as much to meet their own needs.

Therefore they had to use more European goods such as flour and cloth.

It was a kind of cycle: they hunted for furs so that they could get trade goods, and they needed trade goods because they were hunting for furs.

The economic system created by the fur trade could NOT go on forever because eventually the animal population would become so low that FN could not get enough furs to trade for the things they needed

The European fur-traders would then move westward where there were still plenty of fur-bearing animals.

This left the FN with serious problems of how to meet their most basic needs.

It was NOT easy to go back to their traditional fishing and hunting because the European settlement was making it impossible.

When Europeans began arriving the FN did not see this as a problem at first because they were used to sharing the land.

However, the European idea of private ownership did not mix well with the traditional economies of the FN.

As the Europeans cut down forests and fenced lands for farming and ranching there were fewer areas that were good for hunting.

As roads and towns were built, the Europeans began taking over rivers, lakes, and oceanfront areas that provided important food sources.

The Europeans did NOT share the land! They were keeping more and more of it for themselves.

This is NOT what FN had expected when they agreed to treaties.

Another problem was that most European settlers believed their economic, political, and cultural ideas were superior to the First Nations ideas.

Most Europeans thought First Nations peoples would:

1. Die out2. Learn to become more like the Europeans

3. Or just go someplace else.

- In the meantime, they didn’t let the Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, or Maliseet take part in the new economy that was developing.