Introduction
During the 19th and 20th centuries the Government of Canada, through various churches, established residential schools to ‘educate’ Aboriginal children. Aboriginal children were forcefully taken from their families and brought to residential schools. They lived in appalling conditions, were forced to do manual labour, and forbidden to speak their own language or practice their own customs. Many were subject to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The main goal of these schools was the total assimilation of Aboriginal children into white society.
In this WebQuest you will explore the history of residential schools in Canada, including some personal accounts, the effects of the schools on several generations of Aboriginal people, recent government attempts to rectify the damage done and community groups currently offering support and counseling to Survivors.