Treaty Parchments
The original treaty documents between Indigenous nations and the British Crown, and later between Indigenous nations and the government of Canada, are housed in government of Canada offices or at Library & Archives Canada. Some time after each treaty was signed, the government produced a limited number of poster-sized commemorative typescript copies printed on parchment paper. These "treaty parchments" include the preliminary treaty content and signatories, but do not include the adhesions. Some of these treaty parchment copies were sent to government officials and some were distributed to the signatory chiefs and headmen, as promised by the government of Canada, but some were not. The Peel library houses treaty parchment copies for several treaties, all of which can be viewed in person in the library or online.
Getting started: Most student researchers will want to employ a series of keyword searches in the University of Alberta Library catalogue in order to find relevant print and digital materials in all U of A library locations and collections, including the Peel library. Treaty parchment copies can be viewed (and printed) online through the Internet Archive: Treaty 4 (1874), Treaty 6 (1876), Treaty 7 (1877), and Treaty 8 (1899). For more information about research in the Peel library, see Finding and Requesting Peel Library Materials.
Collection Formats: 19th Century -- click to see other collections with this format
Typescript copy of Treaty 4 printed on parchment (KID 13 1874 folio).
Typescript copy of Treaty 6 printed on parchment (KID 13 1876 folio).
Typescript copy of Treaty 6 printed on parchment (KID 13 1876 folio).
Typescript copy of Treaty 7 printed on parchment (KID 13 1877 folio).
Two typescript copies of Treaty 8, both printed on parchment (KID 13 1899 folio).