Looking back at the history of Canada, it is known be a relatively new country. In a way it is true, as the first European settlers arrived here 300 years back. But according to archeological studies, evidence of human presence has been found in present day Canada. The studies state that during the Wisconsin glaciation which took place 50,000-17,000 years back, people migrated to North America (Alaska) from Siberia using the Bering land bridge. Canada was covered by the Laurentide ice sheet, confining the nomadics to Alaska for many centuries.
About 16,500 years back, the glaciers started melting and people started moving to Canada. Archeologists have found evidences of habitations of Paleo-Indians in Bluefish Caves and Old Crow Flats regions. Evidences of archaic period human settlements were also found in Belmont, Clovis and Nova Scotia. Then around 10,000 years ago the climate of North America started to stabilize and became almost like the climate of today. This conductive climate led to the domestication of the nomads. They started cultivating, their population started to increase and people began migrating to newer areas. People of specific areas started developing their own culture, customs and languages.
The First Nations established and settled in present day Canada around 500 BCE to 1000 CE. Various communities like Dogrib, Slavey, Blackfoot, Sarcee, Algonquin, Huron, Cree, Innu, Beothuk, etc. developed in different parts of the country. The Inuit, who are the descendants of Thule culture, emerged from Alaska and migrated east towards Arctic around 1000 CE. The Métis have a relatively new history, as they are the descendants from the marriages between the Europeans (mostly French) and the First Nations (mostly Cree, Algonquin, Ojibway & others) and Intuits. The Métis came into existence in the mid 17th century and have their own culture and traditions different from the First Nations. Since the 18th century, the European Canadians started encouraging the Aborigines to start mixing with them. They even started forcing the Aboriginals to assimilate in the society and adopt their culture, laws and policies.
Though living in oblivion for many centuries, the Aborigines have contributed a lot to shape up Canada’s history and culture making them an integral part of the country’s evolution.
