Numbered Treaty Four, 1874

Document Summary:
Cree, Saulteaux and other Aboriginals give up their land rights to the government of Canada for European settlement in current-day lower Alberta forever. In return for giving up these rights, they received:

• 2.5 square kilometers of reserve land for each family of five.
  
  
• $5 per person each year and a gift of clothing; $25 per chief upon treaty signing and $25 each additional year, plus a coat and silver medal. Chiefs also receive a suit of clothing every three years. Four headmen per band also received $15 annually and a suit of clothing every three years.
  
  
• Farming tools.
  
  
• The right to hunt and fish on ceded land, except land used for forestry, mining, settlement or other purposes.
  
  
• $750 a year for gunpowder, shot, bale and fishing net twine.
  
  
• Schools on reserve land, as soon as the Aboriginals are settled and desire a teacher.
  
  
• A census to keep track of how many Aboriginals there were in each band, mainly for financial compensation purposes.

In return for the aforementioned items, the Aboriginals had to:

• Promise they would keep the peace and maintain law and order.
  
  
• Never possess any liquor on their reserves. (The introduction of alcohol in Aboriginal society had led to disorder in the past.)