Document Spotlight - Royal Proclamation of 1763
The Royal Proclamation set out guidelines for European settlement of Indigenous territories in what is now known as North America. Royal Proclamation issued ownership over North America to King George. However, the Royal Proclamation also explicitly stated that Indigenous title has existed and continues to exist, and that all land would be considered Indigenous land until ceded by treaty.
The Royal Proclamation set the foundation for establishing treaties in Canada and is an acknowledgement of Indigenous rights in Canada. However, the Proclamation was written by the British Crown and served to grant King George ownership to all of North America.
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