Roots of Reconciliation
Foundations
Treaties
Renewal and Reconciliation

T3: A Treaty Puzzle

Overview

This quick-and-simple puzzle LE provides an additional opportunity to establish a basic understanding of Mi’kmaw treaties. Learners will use a matching exercise to play with a basic understanding of a treaty (“an official agreement among two or more nations”), along with other core concepts in both contemporary and historical contexts.

Learners will...

  • Understand the basic definition of a treaty.
  • Understand that treaties are not just historical events, but contemporary ones as well.
  • Work with five key concepts related to treaties: rights, responsibilities, signatories, ratification, and alliance.
  • Consider some key aspects of Mi’kmaw treaties, including their diplomatic purpose and the importance of protecting netukulimk within 18th century treaty negotiations.

Focus

Beginning this LE with an initial discussion about treaties can assist learners in activating prior knowledge. Important discussion points include: understanding that treaties are made on a nation-to-nation basis and remembering that treaties are not only history lessons but current events: the Government of Canada continues to make treaties on behalf of all Canadians.

Learners can think of themselves as detectives as they work their way through this LE: using the information on the provided two-page worksheet, they will match key treaty terms with their definitions. The worksheets can be used as-is, or can be cut up and turned into a set of matching cards. A follow-up discussion can help consolidate the exercise.

Printable Learning
Experience (pdf)

PE!

It is important that learners engaging in this Learning Experience have a clear understanding of the following content:

  • The Mi’kmaq as the indigenous people of Nova Scotia and the Atlantic region.
  • Mi’kma’kik as the ancestral homeland of the Mi’kmaq.

NOTE: Knowledge about treaties is NOT required for this experience — all the information learners need is contained within the activity.

LE Materials

The materials below support this LE’s activities and knowledge growth. They are designed to be printed on both 8.5″x” and 11″x17″ paper.

T3 – A Treaty Puzzle Materials