Residential Schools

Definition

Residential schools were government-sponsored religious schools established in Canada and the United States to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-American culture. These institutions often removed children from their families and communities, imposing a foreign educational system that aimed to erase Indigenous languages, practices, and identities. The legacy of residential schools is intertwined with the historical trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples, shaping their cultural and spiritual lives today.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Residential schools operated across North America from the late 19th century until the 1990s, with thousands of Indigenous children forcibly taken from their homes.
2. These schools were often run by Christian religious organizations, where children faced harsh discipline and were prohibited from speaking their native languages.
3. Many children suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse while attending residential schools, leading to long-lasting trauma within Indigenous communities.
4. The legacy of residential schools continues to affect Indigenous peoples today, contributing to issues such as loss of cultural identity and intergenerational trauma.
5. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its final report in 2015, acknowledging the harm caused by residential schools and calling for steps toward healing and justice.

Review Questions

• How did residential schools impact the cultural identity of Indigenous peoples in North America?
  • Residential schools had a profound impact on the cultural identity of Indigenous peoples by forcibly removing children from their families and communities. This separation disrupted the transmission of cultural knowledge, language, and traditions, leading to a significant loss of identity among many Indigenous individuals. The aim was to assimilate these children into Euro-American culture, resulting in generations that struggled with their cultural heritage and identity.
• Discuss the role of government policies in the establishment and operation of residential schools.
  • Government policies played a crucial role in both establishing and sustaining residential schools. These policies were driven by a belief in cultural superiority, leading to laws that mandated the removal of Indigenous children from their families. The Indian Act provided a legal framework for these actions, allowing for systematic assimilation under the guise of education. This governmental support enabled religious organizations to run these institutions with little oversight or accountability for the treatment of Indigenous children.
• Evaluate the ongoing effects of residential schools on contemporary Indigenous communities and discuss what steps are necessary for reconciliation.
  • The ongoing effects of residential schools on contemporary Indigenous communities include loss of language, cultural disconnection, and intergenerational trauma. Many survivors struggle with mental health issues stemming from their experiences in these institutions. To achieve meaningful reconciliation, it is essential to acknowledge this history fully, support healing initiatives for survivors and their families, and ensure that Indigenous voices lead the efforts toward restoring cultural practices and languages. Recognizing past wrongs through education and policy changes can help build trust between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations.

Related terms

Cultural Assimilation:

The process through which individuals or groups from one culture are forced or encouraged to adopt the customs and values of another culture, often at the expense of their own.

Indian Act: A Canadian federal law that governs the relationship between the Canadian government and Indigenous peoples, which has had lasting effects on Indigenous rights and governance.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission: A commission established to document the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada, aimed at promoting healing and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.