A Concise History of Canada's First Nations

by Olive Patricia Dickason, William Newbigging

A Concise History of Canada's First Nations, second edition, is a revised, streamlined edition of the award-winning Canada's First A History of Founding Peoples from Earliest Times, designed to make First Nations' history more accessible to a broader readership. This edition contains
a new final chapter covering Prime Minister Stephen Harper's 2008 apology to residential school survivors, the Caledonia land dispute in Ontario, and the First Nations Governance Act. In addition to more than 70 maps and illustrations, it includes numerous boxes highlighting specific subjects,
review questions, an extensive glossary of important names and terms, and a list of useful websites.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Indigenous, Canada

420 pages, Paperback

First published March 9, 2006

Reviews

[Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An information-dense book. Very slow to read, and not always the most engaging. But If you want a solid primer on the ins-and-outs of First Nations relations with Canada, this is the book to read.

[Brian Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to get the full scholarly outline of the history of the interaction between the European colonialists from initial contact up to the present day, preferably from the indigenous perspective.. Though, surprisingly, there weren't many books that fit the bill precisely this one did just that. I will probably want my own copy as this book is fully referenced and thus provides lots of jumping-off points. Most of the history books I remember as a child referred to indigenous people in ungenerous terms. The story, in particular in Canada, does not follow the lines of a cowboy movie or an adventure for English boys. The Indigenous people were cultured and nuanced from the beginning and it was the advancing colonial and corporate (HBC being one of the first, back when they had to be chartered by the King) interests that were ignorant and uncomprehending. Most of the "savagery" was committed by colonial authorities and succeeding governments of the Dominion of Canada (see British Commander Jefferey Amherst advocating the distribution of smallpox infected blankets) and so it continues to this day. The culture and nuance still exists and will influence the direction of this country, and undoubtedly the world, well into the future.

[Blaze-Pascal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise overview indeed. Depth look for the extra-readings.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am never entirely sure if a book that has been adapted by another author is the same as the original author. I did not know until after I had gotten the book out that someone else was involved.

[Stephanie Skelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your looking for a introductory book that gives an overview of First Nations history, this is it. 10/10 would recommend to any Canadian who wishes to understand this aspect of Canadian history. Be aware that the first few chapters include a lot of names and you do need to (generally) know then to understand the rest of the book.

[Howard Krosnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

we have the French version of this published by Canada Indian and Northern Affairs