When most people think of treaties, they think of historical treaties.

Historical treaties were made between 1701 and 1923. Approximately 56 historical treaties were signed between the Crown and First Nations during this period.

Historical treaties generally relate to particular areas of land and include promises to the Indigenous peoples that the Crown would provide reserve lands and other benefits like farm equipment and animals, annual payments, ammunition, clothing, and certain rights to hunt and fish. The Crown also promised to maintain schools on reserves and/or provide teachers and educational help.

The Crown and Indigenous parties often had very different understandings of the purpose and meaning of historical treaties. For the Crown, treaties were a way to gain access to land for the purposes of settlement, trade and resource development. For Indigenous peoples, treaties were often viewed as instruments of recognition and relationship, whereby the parties agreed to share land and resources.