Introduction to History of Saskatchewan
Long before Europeans began to explore Canada, nomadic Indians roamed the plains of what is now Saskatchewan hunting buffalo. They remained undisturbed until the late 17th century, when the first Europeans came to the area in search of furs. The principal inhabitants at that time were the Chipewyans, the Blackfeet, the Assiniboin, and the Cree.
Important dates in Saskatchewan1670 King Charles II of England granted trading rights in the region to the Hudson's Bay Company.1690-1692 Henry Kelsey of the Hudson's Bay Company explored the Saskatchewan region.1740's The La Verendrye brothers, French-Canadian fur traders, built trading posts on the Saskatchewan River.1774 Cumberland House, Saskatchewan's first permanent settlement, was established.1870 Canada acquired Rupert's Land and made it part of the North West Territories.1882-1883 The Canadian Pacific Railway was built across the Saskatchewan region.1885 The Metis rebelled against the Canadian government in the North West Rebellion.1905 Saskatchewan became a province on September 1.1924 Farmers organized the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.1944 The voters of Saskatchewan elected the first socialist government in Canada.1947 Saskatchewan became the first province to provide all residents with free hospital care financed by taxes.1951-1952 Major deposits of petroleum were discovered in Saskatchewan.1962 Continuous potash production started in Saskatchewan. The province began a program of tax-supported, free medical care for all residents.1964 The Liberals defeated the socialist government.1971 The New Democratic Party won power in the legislature and formed another socialist government.1982 The Progressive Conservative Party came to power.1991 The New Democratic Party returned to power.Fur Traders and Settlers
In 1670 the Hudson's Bay Company received a charter from Charles II of England, giving it both governing power and a trade monopoly in the region that was the drainage basin of Hudson Bay. Rupert's Land, as the region was called, included much of present-day Saskatchewan. An employee of the company, Henry Kelsey, was probably the first European to see Saskatchewan. From 1690 to 1692 he explored the area between Hudson Bay and the Saskatchewan River.
The trade monopoly of the Hudson's Bay Company was soon threatened by French-Canadian fur traders. Rivalry became intense and ended only when France withdrew from North America after its defeat in the French and Indian War (1756–63). The Hudson's Bay Company then began to build trading posts in the interior of Rupert's Land. The first of these posts was Cumberland House, established near the Saskatchewan River by Samuel Hearne in 1774. It was the first permanent British settlement in Saskatchewan.
For much of the 19th century, fur trading remained the main occupation in the region. However, the buffalo herds, which were the principal source of furs, were rapidly being depleted. From 1857 to 1860, a British expedition under John Palliser explored the vast prairie lands to determine whether they would be suitable for farming. In 1869 Rupert's Land was purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company by the Dominion of Canada (established 1867) and in 1870 it was made a part of Canada's Northwest Territories. Free land was offered to attract new settlers. To protect the settlers, the North West Mounted Police was organized in 1873. The first Mounted Police post in Saskatchewan was established in 1874.
The districts of Saskatchewan, Alberta, Athabaska, and Assiniboia were created within the Northwest Territories in 1882 That year the Canadian Pacific Railway reached as far west as Moose Jaw, with new settlements being founded along its route. The influx of settlers angered the métis (persons of mixed French and Indian ancestry), who had migrated to Saskatchewan from Manitoba after an unsuccessful revolt against the government. (See Red River Rebellion.) Once more the métis felt that the whites were taking away their lands. In 1885, under the leadership of Louis Riel, the métis rebelled for a second time, but again they failed. In the aftermath of the uprising, the Northwest Territories were given representation in the Dominion Parliament, and a territorial legislature was established.
Province. In 1905 the province of Saskatchewan was formed, with Regina as its capital. Walter Scott, a Liberal party leader, was chosen the first premier. Now settlers came in even greater numbers—from Europe, eastern Canada, and the United States. Between 1901 and 1910, the population rose from 91,279 to 492,432. Agricultural development followed, and farmer cooperatives were started. Progress continued until the worldwide depression of the 1930's. The economy of Saskatchewan was especially hard hit, as the price of wheat and other farm products dropped sharply. Economic recovery took more than a decade.
During and after World War II, there was considerable industrial development, particularly in the mining industry. Additional cooperative associations were organized. For much of the period, the province has been governed by socialist parties—the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) from 1944 to 1964 and the New Democratic party (NDP), successor to the CCF, from 1971 to 1982. Under these parties, several social-welfare measures were enacted and the government took control of natural resources. In 1982 the Progressive Conservative party came to power. It reversed some socialist policies and sold several government-owned corporations to private investors. The NDP was returned to power in 1991 and retained control of the government in elections held in 1995.