1. Activity Volonteers please! 1 young man (YM) Several young women (YW) YM: Sit on a chair. YW: Sit on the floor. YM: Keep your shoes on. YW: Take your shoes off. YM: Eat the snack provided by Ms GB. Finish the snack. YW: Eat the snack provided by Ms GB.

2. The TRUTH in History so… Before studying history, one has to study the historian. Before studying the historian, study his social and historical environment. The historian as an individual, is also the product of society and it is that context that one must learn to understand.

3. Why do we have differents points of view? Think and write individually (2 minutes) then… with your elbow partner (2 minutes) then… in your group (2 minutes) Reasons why we might have different interpretations.

4. Did your list include any of the following reasons? Religion Language Sex Race Geographical location Political point of view Era Education Family History Nationality

5. Video: TC2 Historical Perspectives

6. “Presentism” – yes, it is a word Sometimes we take the values of today’s society and judge life and decisions of the past using that perspective. i.e. “That was so backwards/wrong/naïve.” Now, just because it’s what “most people” believed in or did in the past doesn’t mean it was right – ex. residential schools BUT – we have to judge it through the lens of its time period, not the lens of today’s knowledge and values. We will try very hard this semester NOT to be “present-ist”

7. Let’s practice… Read: How Canada’s mighty have fallen What are your thoughts? Should we judge the actions of people in the past by today’s standards and values?

8. Minister of Indian Affairs Jean Chrétien proposes the abolition of the Indian Act Rejection of all land claims Assimilation of First Nations people Status the same as other ethnic minorities rather than a distinct group Example: White Paper- 1969

9. ‘Historical Perspective’ How might public opinion differ on Chrétien as egalitarian or racist in 1969 and now? We have present day perspective of understanding the impact of residential schools and the current state of Aboriginal affairs

10. What can we do with Primary Sources? We can make interpretations based on inferences made from primary sources. Let’s examine its introduction. - handout Can we infer that Chrétien was a racist? Can we infer that the government didn’t respect Aboriginal Peoples?