Over which period did the federal government place Aboriginal children in residential schools?
- From 1867 to 1900
- From 1960 to 2008
- From the 1800s until the 1980s
- Only during the 1920s
Answer: From the 1800s until the 1980s
The federal government placed many Aboriginal children in residential schools from the 1800s until the 1980s. In 2008 the government formally apologized to the former students.
Learn more: Residential schools
- Residential schools ran from the 1800s until the 1980s.
- Their purpose was to educate and assimilate Aboriginal children into mainstream Canadian culture.
- The schools were poorly funded and inflicted hardship; some students were physically abused.
- Aboriginal languages and cultural practices were mostly prohibited in the schools.
- In 2008, the federal government (Ottawa) formally apologized to former students.