History of Saskatchewan

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Contents 1 History of Saskatchewan 2 Pre-European 3 Early Explorers 4 Fur Trade Era 5 Immigration and Settlement Era 6 Saskatchewan since becoming a province 7 External Links 8 Footnotes

[edit] History of Saskatchewan

For more information on the history of the province of Saskatchewan see also Saskatchewan History

The history of this plains area actually began 2,100 - 2,000 million years ago wherein there were two continents seperated by an ocean. The "Churchill Continent" which would be Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and the "Superior Continent" which would comprise Manitoba and Ontario. 1,830 - 1,800 million years ago these two land masses collided. The Northern shield area and western Rockies formed higher land from the collison. The lower lands of todays parkland were covered by a shallow sea even in the Palaeozoic Era. It was not till the Cretaceous Period 144 - 65 million years ago that the inland sea began to drain. Here we begin to find the paleontological artifacts of various dinosaur species. The ica age of the Quaternary Period totally again re-shaped and re-shifted the landscape of Saskatchewan, occuring 2 million yeara ago. ^[1]

Following these geological changes to this area, and the formation of the continent of North America as we know it, pre-history to the history of contemporary day can begin.

[edit] Pre-European

For more information on the early pre-history of the province of Saskatchewan see also Saskatchewan Archaeological Society.

For more information on the earliest inhabitants of this early area, see Chipewyan, Cree, Algonkian, Assiniboine and Shoshoni.

Archaeologists divide the time frame to study ancient findings into contemporary which would be from the twentieth century on, Protohistoric archaeology from 1620 to contemporary, and Prehistoric archaeology is the study before early exploration to the area.

The prehistoric archaelogy studies the findings and further classifies them according to traditions followed by the ancient peoples.

Palaeo-Indian Tradition of the Agate Basin finds date to as early as c 6000 B.C, Taltheilei Tradition c 500 B.C. and Shield Archaic Tradition c 4000 B.C. ^[2]

The Athapaskans, Dene or Chipewyan First Nation lived in the shield area, and were caribou hunters. Their early archaeological history is documented around 1615. ^[3].

Samuel Hearne was one of the first early explorers to make contact with the Dene. Algonkian or Woodland Cree (Kristinaux) lived above the treeline, whereas plains Cree lived in the open parkland area. Prairie buffalo hunters pre-dominated in southern Saskatchewan and were mainly of the first nation Siouan or Assiniboine (Nakota). Shoshoni or Dakota (Snake) were living on the outskirts of the area now known as Saskatchewan. ^[4]

[edit] Early Explorers

Some early explorers who made inroads to the west are:

• Peter Fidler (explorer)
• Samuel Hearne
• Anthony Henday
• Henry Kelsey
• Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendryee
• Peter Pond
• John Palliser
• David Thompson (explorer, early American settler)
• Philip Turnor^[5]

[edit] Fur Trade Era

In May 1670, Britain gave the lands which drained into the Hudson Bay watershed to “the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay”, which later became the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1774, Cumberland House, the company's first trading post, was erected.

Travelling inland were the French Canadian Voyeurs of the North West Company arriving from Eastern Canada.

European fur traders, American fur traders set up forts and trading posts and established commerce with the First Nations people. First nation folk helped the early visitor adapt to the land, and supplied furs in exchange for goods.

The richest resource for this area appeared to be the fur trade industry, early development and settlement was in the northern areas. Fort Garry, Manitoba (1870 - 1876) was declared the very first capital of the North West Territories. The North West Mounted Police barracks shifted location further west. Fort Livingstone of the North West Territories was declared capital (1876 - 1877), but was short lived. It began as a NWMP police barracks, however, it was not fit for living in due to hasty construction and a severe winter setting in. October 7, 1876 saw the passing of the North West Territories Act by Lt. Gov. Laird. he departed from Fort Livingstone in the summer of 1877 and prcclaimed a new capital of the North West Territories at Battleford (1877 - 1883). For governing purposes, the vast area of the Northwest Territories was divided into provisional districts on May 8, 1882. ^[6] The telegraph line linked up the northern communities.

Between 1871 and 1899, Treaties 1 through 8 have been signed between the North West Territory Government and the First Nations peoples. ^[7]

[edit] Immigration and Settlement Era

For more information on the earliest inhabitants and explorers of Saskatchewan see History of Immigration - Western Canada,.

Louis Riel led the North-West Rebellion of 1885 and stoically fought to defend the existing 'wild west' lifestyle of the fur trade era.

It is felt that 'civilized' settlement could now be initiated and followed the course of many European and American agricultural communities. The first missionaries developed catechism and education as early as 1840 at Cumberland House. Moose Jaw School District #1 was established in 1884 a follow through from Territorial Ordinance #5.

When the surveyors for the railways came through, they at first proposed a route following the early telegraph line, however a number of historic factors changed this route. The U.S.A. - Canada boundary was hard to defend to remain a sovereign country, expenses from Winnipeg through to Calgary was easier through the southern prairies rather than going upwards to Battleford and Edmonton. The southern route of the railway, went through the village of Pile O' Bones in 1882. By 1903, the influx of settlers via the railway increased the population to city status, and Pile O' Bones was now known as Regina. In 1905, when Saskatchewan became a province, Regina was named the capital city. Immigration was advertised in a massive campaign put forth by Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior in charge of immigration, (1896 - 1905) ^[8] who brought into being Canada's Homestead Act or the Dominion Lands Act in 1872. The railway brought life to settlements, which quickly grew to villages, and towns. Typically many small communities sprung up 10-12 miles apart a distance easily travelled by horse and cart in a day.

Many ethnic block settlements developed throughout the North West Territories, as well as many project communities such as:

The French counts established Rolandrie Ranch and a gentleman lifestyle at Whitewood, saskatchewan.

In the 1880's Edward Pierce tried to transplant early Victorian living at Cannington Manor in the 1880s, now preserved as Cannington Manor Provincial Park.

The Barr Colonists ventured north in 1903 and settled in Brittania now known as Lloydminster, Saskatchewan.

In the north west of the provisional district of Saskatchewan, NWT, Peter Vasilevich Verigin set up several Doukhobor bloc colonies.

[edit] Saskatchewan since becoming a province

The provisional districts of Assinboia, Saskatchewan and Athabaska of the North West Territory amalgamated into the province of Saskatchewan in 1905. The boundaries consist of: on the west is the 4th Meridian, South 49th parallel U.S.A. Canada boundary line, to the North the North West Territory - Saskatchewan Boundary line, and just about on the 1st parallel Meridian on the eastern boundary with the province of Manitoba.

The early government formed Rural municipalities initially to protect against prairie fires, establish roads and bridges. As homesteads were established, and agricultural methods perfected the community, slowly evolved. With supplemental monetary resources Rural Municipalities could now develop and establish schools for education, churches, cemeteries and healthcare for their residents.

World War I showed a need to develop a common language for all across the province. English now helped economies, education, and trade to develop, and broke down the existence of the ethnic block community. World War I brought to the forefront a fear of ethnicities, and a survival instinct devloped the need for a Canadian identity.

The roaring twenties saw many conflicting beliefs of settlement groups, and was a very prosperous time. Bootlegging activies, gangsters such as Al Capone, and the underground trade of whisky smuggling used the caves around Cypress Hills, and the Soo Line which ended in Moose Jaw the Sin City of the north," or "Little Chicago".

The Depression combined with the drought of the Dirty Thirties devasted and almost destroyed the province. Thousands emigrated away from the family homestead as it could no longer support the family nor the community.

The industrial revolution following World War II changed the face of Saskatchewan history. Combines and mechanized farming was now available, farms became larger and more folk moved into urban centers. The one room school house closed down to make way for the more industrial or consolidated school in town which provided more resources for more technological development. Growth and improvements in technology paved the way for the contemporary society of Saskatchewan.

[edit] External Links

[Saskatchewan Settlement Experience]

[Saskatchewan Gen Web Project - SGW - Saskatchewan Genealogy Roots]

[Atlas of Saskatchewan Boundary Evolution and Ethnic Bloc Settlement Maps]

[Online Historical Map Digitization Project]- showing settlement development on the railways in various years

[edit] Footnotes

	Saskatchewan
Census Divisions:	1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18
SARM Divisions:	1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6
Cities:	Estevan - Flin Flon (part) - Humboldt - Lloydminster (part) - Melfort - Melville - Moose Jaw - North Battleford - Prince Albert - Regina - Saskatoon - Swift Current - Weyburn - Yorkton
See also:	List of rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, SARM