The impact of European settlement on Aboriginal people in Canada Essay

The impact of European settlement on Aboriginal people in Canada - Essay Example From fishermen on the coast, to traders for fur and other commodities, it is interesting to note that the story of the contact between Europeans and aboriginals does not start from the voyages of discovery but has its origins in the journeys of the Vikings. However, the real impact on aboriginal people only becomes clear when French and British explorers started making journeys into Canada rather than remain on the Canadian coast. Their journeys took them to areas where farm output was better and this allowed larger settlements to be created by the explorers (Schneider, 1996). The story of these connections between Europeans and people from the old world was quite similar to the situation which developed in America and elsewhere in the world. The aboriginals were struck with disease and conflict. Diseases which were unknown to them and for which their bodies had no real defenses were laid up against them. Smallpox and other ailments destroyed entire settlements of natives and they were not able to counter the disease with their medicine. As the concept of the disease and the manner in which it spread remained alien to them, they were also unable to take real precautions against the disease which spread quickly (Wikipedia, 2008). The aboriginals were also impacted in terms of religion and education as the Europeans attempted to civilize the nations of the new world. At the same time, there were several nations which were on friendly terms with the European settlers such as the Algonquin and others included in the Wabankaki Confederacy. With these nations, trade and exchange took place to a great extent which was mutually beneficial for all parties. However, the trade was often replaced with broken contracts and war. For example, the French were continually troubled by the Iroquois who had been given arms by the British in order for them to fight against the French. The