Epidemics: Smallpox

How did smallpox arrive in Victoria?
It arrived on a ship shipping miners to Victoria.
How many colonists were living there? How many Indigenous People?
4,000 to 5,000 colonists and slightly more Indigenous people would camp nearby.
What mistakes were made in handling the outbreak?
There was limited vaccination efforts and “declining to try a general quarantine”
What was the impact on Indigenous People? Use at least 3 examples to show what you mean.
– Around 30,000 Indigenous people died
– It left traumatized survivors
– Overall there was a societal collapse.
What argument is presented to prove that smallpox was an act of genocide against Indigenous People?
– The government wanted to claim those lands without “having to compensate or recognize Indigenous title.”
– They didn’t aid them properly and let them go back to their communities.
What are two books (and authors) used as references?
“The Coming of the Spirit of Pestilence” by Robert Boyd
“The Resettlement of British Columbia” by Cole Harris
What happened to the population of colonists and Indigenous People?
A lot of the Indigenous people died and the colonists made BC a province.
Explain ‘terra nullius’ and how it influenced the relationship between government and Indigenous People? Use two examples to show what happened.
“Terra Nullius” means empty land. Joseph Trutch refused to acknowledge Indigenous title. Because of this he took away 92% of their reserves
– Settlers started occupying what seemed to be abandoned land.
– They stopped making treaties with the Indigenous people.