Head Tax
Which group had to pay the Head Tax?
Chinese immigrants
Name 2 ways the Indian Act affected the First Nations communities.
Loss of Culture: Banning ceremonies and forcing children into residential schools led to a loss of language and traditions. Many communities are still working to rebuild their cultural knowledge.
Family Separation: Children were taken from their families and communities, causing long-lasting pain. This separation created deep trauma for many generations.
Unfair Rules: The law treated Indigenous peoples as if they needed to be controlled, not as equals. Indigenous people could lose their “status” for getting a university education or joining the military, which took away their legal identity under the Act.
Are the Numbered Treaties still considered legal agreements today?
Describe 1 way Chinese Canadian workers were discriminated against in the 1900s?
-Paid less than their European Canadian counterparts
-Not allowed to vote during elections in many provinces
-Forced to take on hard, labour-intensive jobs (agriculture and mining)
-Job choices were limited
How did the Japanese Canadians feel when they were sent to the Internment Camps?
Many people felt shocked and confused that their country would treat them this way. But because of their ancestry, they were seen as outsiders. Even though they were treated unfairly, many Japanese Canadians stayed strong and worked hard in the camps.
Why did Chinese people immigrant to Canada even when they received unfair treatment in Canada?
To build a better life for them and their families at home.
What is a Residential School?
A school far from home for Indigenous children
How many Numbered Treaties were there in total?
11
Why were Chinatowns developed in Canada?
Communities of Chinese Canadians began to form in towns and cities. These communities were often called “Chinatowns.” They gave people a place to speak their language, eat familiar food, and support each other.
What does "internment" mean?
Internment means forcing people to leave their homes and live in camps, even if they haven’t done anything wrong.
How much was the Head Tax at the beginning?
$50
What was one of the ceremonies that was banned due to The Indian Act?
Potlatch or Sun dance
What was one of the promises stated in the Numbered Treaties?
A one-time payment and yearly money for each person
Farming supplies like hoes, plows, and seeds
Schools and teachers for children
The right to keep hunting and fishing on the land
Reserves where First Nations could live and govern themselves
Why was the Asiatic Exclusion League formed?
In 1907, a group called the Asiatic Exclusion League was formed in Vancouver. The group wanted to stop immigration from Asian countries completely. They believed Canada should only allow people from Europe to move in.
How many German Canadians were interned in Canada during World War II?
Over 600 German Canadians
How much was $500, which is what Chinese immigrants had to pay after the Head Tax increased, in today's currency?
$17000
What year was the Indian Act made?
1876
What was one of the broken promises the Canadian Government said that they would do according to the Numbered Treaties but did not?
In many cases, First Nations received less money or fewer tools than they were promised. Sometimes, schools were far away or poorly built. Some government officials also pressured First Nations into signing without fully explaining the treaty.
What did the Prime Minister do in 2006 in regards to the Head Tax?
In 2006, the Prime Minister of Canada apologized to Chinese Canadians for the Head Tax and the pain it caused. He also promised to pay some money back to the families who had paid the tax. This apology was important because it showed that the government recognized the harm it had done.
What was one thing the Japanese Canadians and German Canadians forced to do in the internment camps?
They had to do hard labour, like chopping wood or farming, and were paid very little or nothing at all. Children went to schools inside the camps.