Gradual Civilization Act

Gradual Civilization Act

The Act to Encourage the Gradual Civilization of Indian Tribes in this Province, and to Amend the Laws Relating to Indians (commonly known as the Gradual Civilization Act) was a bill passed by the 5th Parliament of the Province of Canada in 1857.

The treaty built on the "Act for the Protection of the Indians in Upper Canada" passed in 1839, but required the "enfranchisement" of any recognized male Indian over the age of 21 "able to speak, read and write either English or the French language readily and well, and is sufficiently advanced in the elementary branches of education and is of good moral character and free from debt.""An Act to Encourage the Gradual Civilization of Indian Tribes in this Province, and to Amend the Laws Relating to Indians," 3rd Session, 5th Parliament, 1857.] An "enfranchised" Indian would no longer retain the "legal rights and habilities of Indians" and would "no longer be deemed an Indian" but a regular British subject. Such enfranchisement was mandatory, but any male Indian could be voluntarily enfranchised despite an inability to read or write, or a lack of school education, so long as he spoke English or French, and was found to be "of sober and industrious habits, free from debt and sufficiently intelligent to be capable of managing his own affairs." Voluntary enfranchisement, however, required a three year probation term before it would come into legal effect.

Enfranchisement required that Indians choose a surname (to be approved by appointed commissioners) by which they would become legally known. The wife and descendants of an enfranchised Indian would also be enfranchised, and would no longer be considered members of the former tribe, unless they were to regain Indian status through another marriage.

Enfranchised Indians were entitled to "a piece of land not exceeding fifty acres out of the lands reserved or set apart for the use of his tribe" as allotted by the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, and "a sum of money equal to the principal of his share of the annuities and other yearly revenues receivable by or for the use of such tribe." This land and money would become their property, but by accepting it, they would "forego all claim to any further share in the lands or moneys then belonging to or reserved for the use of [their] tribe, and cease to have a voice in the proceedings thereof."

ee also

*First Nations
*Indian Act

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gradual Civilization Act — Der Act to Encourage the Gradual Civilization of Indian Tribes in this Province, and to Amend the Laws Relating to Indians (Gesetz zur Ermutigung der stufenweisen Zivilisierung indianischer Stämme in dieser Provinz und zur Verbesserung der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ancient Greek civilization — ▪ historical region, Eurasia Introduction       the period following Mycenaean civilization, which ended in about 1200 BC, to the death of Alexander the Great, in 323 BC. It was a period of political, philosophical, artistic, and scientific… …   Universalium

  • Residential Schools (Kanada) — Residential Schools waren im Kanada der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts bis in die Jahre um 1980 internatartige Schulen, die ausschließlich von Kindern der kanadischen Ureinwohner, also der First Nations, der Inuit und der Métis, besucht… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • native American — native American, adj. a person born in the United States. [1835 45, Amer.] * * * ▪ indigenous peoples of Canada and United States Introduction also called  American Indian,  Amerindian,  Amerind,  Indian,  Aboriginal American,  or  First Nation… …   Universalium

  • Native American — Indian (def. 1). Usage. See Indian, Eskimo. * * * ▪ indigenous peoples of Canada and United States Introduction also called  American Indian,  Amerindian,  Amerind,  Indian,  Aboriginal A …   Universalium

  • First Nations — This article is about the indigenous peoples of Canada. For other indigenous peoples, see Indigenous peoples by geographic regions. First Nations …   Wikipedia

  • Canadian residential school system — The Canadian residential school system consisted of a number of schools for Aboriginal children, operated during the 19th and 20th century by churches of various denominations (about sixty per cent by Roman Catholics, and thirty per cent by the… …   Wikipedia

  • Geschichte der Indianer Kanadas — Die Geschichte der First Nations, der in Kanada lebenden, und nicht ganz zutreffend als Indianer bezeichneten ethnischen Gruppen, reicht mindestens 12.000 Jahre zurück.[1] Der Begriff First Nations ist relativ jung[2] und bezeichnet die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Residential School — Residential Schools nannte man im Kanada Schulen, die von der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts bis in die Jahre um 1980 betrieben wurden. Es handelte sich um internatartige Schulen, die ausschließlich von Kindern der kanadischen Ureinwohner,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • List of Acts of Parliament of Canada — The following is a list of notable Acts of Parliament of Canada. Pre 1867 * Gradual Civilization Act, 1857 (Province of Canada) 1867 ndash; 1899 * Manitoba Act 1870 * Dominion Lands Act 1872 * Indian Act 1876 * Canada Temperance Act 1878 *… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”