CULTURE &

CURRENTS OF
THOUGHT
HIST 404: HISTORY AND CITIZENSHIP
Ms. J. Rudochvilow

DAILY DOCUMENT

DEFINITIO
NS
Culture:
All the customs,
approaches, skills, ideas,
values, beliefs and
conceptions of the world
that are shared by a
society
Cultural Elements:
Language, Religion, Food,
Music, Education,
Activities etc
Currents of Thought:

What does this image tell us about Quebec culture? What

cultural element is being portrayed?

The ideas and beliefs that

exist in a society in a
given period.

THE FIRST
OCCUPANTS
(1500S)
Chapter 3: Culture and Currents of Thought

CULTURE AND THE

The Aboriginals had great
ENVIRONMENT
respect for the environment

because they depended so

heavily on it for their
survival.
Their cultures were

influenced by the territory

on which they lived (clothes,
food, tools, shelter,
transportation, etc.)
Their needs were met by

the availability of resources.

WHAT FUELED THE FIRST OCCUPANTS

RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
The aboriginals
acknowledged and
respected the environment
because they recognized
that the environment (think:
food, wood, animal skins)
were the reasons they were
able to survive.

ANIMISM
What is animism?
Animism is a belief

that consists of
attributing spirits to
objects, plants and
animals.
In other words, the

belief that everything

has a soul.

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Aboriginal cultural practices were influenced

by the qualities they valued. (hunting

abilities, eloquence, generosity, story telling).

These qualities played a determining role in

the social relationships they maintained

around 1500.

Good hunter = influence within the

community

Eloquence (ability to speak well) =

spokesperson for trading with other

ABORIGINAL CHIEFS
Who was the
Chief?
The chief was the spokesperson

who was named based on his

generosity, eloquence, hunting
and oratory skills.

The chief was chosen based

on these skills. Most agreed to

take on the position but some
did say no if they preferred a
private life.

Algonquian Chief Circa 1590

ABORIGINAL CHIEFS
What was the Chiefs role?
The Chief did not have absolute

rule.

Chiefs were not rulers who

imposed their decisions and will

on those within the community.

Instead, their role was to act as

the spokesperson responsible for

representing the group.

They created collaboration

Iroquois Chief circa 1700

within the community by

identifying what needed to be
done for the good for the village.

THE QUALITIES OF
AN IROQUOIAN CHIEF
DOCUMENT 16, PG. 12

1. How did an Aboriginal

person become chief?
Partly by succession and partly
by election.
2. What was the role of the
Aboriginal chief?
They state what is to be done for
the good of the village.
3. How was this role different
from that of the king of
France in the same period?
France = absolute power. The
King governed with authority.
Aboriginals = no absolute power,
the chief was the spokesperson
for the needs of the entire
community.

GENEROSITY
Generosity was highly respected and

expected by all members of society.

The community would share its food and

its materials with all members.

The Inuit for example practice generosity

even when food was care. The food was

shared with all members of the group.
Gift giving helped them to maintain

peaceful relations with other tribes

SPIRITUALITY
Aboriginal people were
animists, meaning that
everything has a soul and this
soul could exist outside the
body.
This was reflected in their
relationship with the
environment and the great
respect they would show
towards it.

ABORIGINAL BELIEF IN
SPIRITS

Aboriginals were animists and they believed that people,

animals and objects were immortal.
This belief system was reflected in the way they
conducted themselves when they hunted and fished.
They took special care once they had killed an animal
because they believed the animals spirit or soul would
reincarnate itself into another animal.
Aboriginals believed in evil or malicious spirits and as a
result they had special rituals to keep spirits happy.
Offerings of tobacco and spirits.

Aboriginal peoples believed that they were able to

communicate with spirits. They used smoke as a means of
making contact. Pipes had a high value because they had
th
Iroquoian Pipe, early 17 century the power to make contact with the spirit world.

FATHER
SAGARD
PG. 14 DOCUMENT
20
JOURNAL ENTRY:
Why did the Hurons
scold Father
Sagard? What
elements of
aboriginal culture
may have motived
this incident
between Father
Sagard and the
Iroquois?

THE IMPORTANCE OF
DREAMS
Dreaming was another way that spirits
could show themselves.

Anyone could make contact with spirits by

this means.
Dreams could be prophetic meaning they
could foretell events to come in the near or
distant future.
Aboriginal peoples also believed that the
souls of animal that were going to give
themselves in a hunt could appear to the
hunter while he slept.

SHAMANS

The Role of Shamans in Aboriginal

Society
Shamans were believed to have special access to the
spirit world.
The Shaman was called to interpret dreams that the
dreamer didnt understand.
A person became a shaman after having dreams
encouraging him or her to fulfill this role in his or her
group.
Shamans would interpret dreams, have prophetic
visions and provide healing powers.

Iroquoian Shaman 17th

century

The Shaman used rituals, such as dances and songs to

the rhythm of a drum to heal people who were sick.

ENCOUNTER WITH
EUROPEANS
In the 16

century,
Aboriginal People came into
contact with the Europeans
who landed in North
America to take possession
of Land and in order to fish
for cod on the banks of
Newfoundland.
th

The encounter that took

place had significant
impacts on Aboriginal
cultures.

HOW ABORIGINAL CULTURE

CHANGED
Material goods: Aboriginals were interested in some European goods (tools,

utensils, objects made of iron, steel and brass). These objects got gradually
integrated into Aboriginal material culture.

Clothing: Aboriginals adopted the wearing of wool and cotton which slowly

replaced their traditional form of dress.

Food: Sedentary Aboriginals slowly introduced certain vegetables into their

diets such as cucumbers, onions and certain products like bread.

Lifestyle: Sedentary Aboriginals started keeping orchards to favour fruit

production. Pigs were also introduced and these further altered the diet of
sedentary people.

Weapons: The French brought GUNS! Before the arrival of the Europeans,

Aboriginals waged warfare with bows, knives and clubs. Rifles and other guns
made warfare more deadly.

CULTURE
AFTER
ENCOUNTERI
NG THE
EUROPEANS
JOURNAL ENTRY
How did aboriginal
culture change
after encountering
the Europeans?
What elements of
aboriginal culture
changed and in
what way?

CULTURE & FIRST

OCCUPANTS
Quiz Next Class

My Power Points are available on my weebly site

http://msrudochvilow.weebly.com
Concepts you need to study:
Definitions: Culture, Cultural Elements, Currents of Thought, Animism
Big Ideas: Aboriginals and the Environment, Spirituality, Social

Relationships (gift giving, chiefs), belief in spirits, dreams, dream

interpretation, Shamans, encounters with the Europeans.
Test Format: 5 multiple choice, 2 documents to analyze, 1 (short) essay