What were reserves and who lived on them?

• A. Reserves were parcels of land given to First Nations people by the government to live and farm on. The goal was to try and get First Nations people to adopt a more traditional European lifestyle
• B. Reserves were hunting grounds
• C. Reserves were industrial zones
• D. Reserves were parks

Answer: (A)

Reserves were parcels of land set aside by the government for First Nations people to live on and farm. This arrangement came with the aim of directing Indigenous communities into settled farming and European-style ways of life, as part of assimilation policies. The people living on reserves were primarily First Nations communities organized as bands under policies like the Indian Act; Métis and Inuit were not typically residents of reserves. This helps explain why reserves are about designated Indigenous settlements rather than hunting grounds, industrial zones, or parks.