The Metis of Red River

Background on Red River Métis While Metis lived all over North America, it was in Present-Day Manitoba where the largest community grew.

Background on Red River Métis Red River contained mostly French Speaking Metis, (approx. 4000) however, they were not the only ones living there: About 1000 other people lived at Red River as well: Country Born Metis – Children of F.Nations and British HBC Traders Cree and Anishinabe First Nations French Canadiens British Employees of H.B.C Catholic Missionaries Scottish Immigrants

V.S Red River Resistance, 1869

Canada Takes an Interest in the West For years, people believed that the Prairies of Rupert's Land were barren and unsuitable for living However, by the 1850s Canadian scientists reported that parts of Rupert’s Land were actually well suited to farming

Canada Takes an Interest in the West At the same time, good farm land in Ontario is becoming scarce and people are looking for new areas to colonize Rupert’s Land began to look like the next best option to join Canada

Canada Takes an Interest in the West Many Canadians also worried that if they did not claim Rupert’s Land soon, the United States would. In 1869, the newly formed Canadian government struck a deal with the H.B.C and bought Rupert’s Land for $1.5 Million.

Fears of Assimilation Canada now owned Rupert’s Land! However it had not been unoccupied land. The Metis of Red River, as well as many First Nations tribes already lived in Rupert’s Land and had not been consulted about this purchase.

Fears of Assimilation The Metis and First Nations tribes became very worried about assimilation and had many questions for the Canadian government Would they get to keep their land? Would there be a role for the F.Nations and Metis in the new Government? Would they get to keep their way of life? Unfortunately, few answers were given

The Red River Resistance, 1869 Canada was ready to take control of Rupert’s Land, and sent Surveyors to prepare the land for new farmers to move onto The Metis did not know the surveyors were coming so, a group of Metis confronted the men measuring off their land

The Red River Resistance, 1869 The surveyors spoke only English, so the French speaking Metis could not understand them The Metis sent for a Metis man who knew English to act as translator – Louis Riel Riel told the surveyors to get off their land and go back to Canada.

Louis Riel - The Leader What makes someone a Leader? Brainstorm with the people sitting around you what it means to be a leader. Create a web to represent what you have discussed Read p. 281. What does your textbook say made Louis Riel a leader? Add what your textbook says to your web in a different colored pen or pencil. Do you notice any differences or similarities?

Métis Provisional Government The Metis knew the surveyors would be back, so they had to decide quickly how to protect their land In December, 1869 the Metis set up a Provisional (Temporary) Government to run themselves. They chose a 25 year old Louis Riel to be their President

The Metis Bill of Rights If the Metis had no choice about joining Canada, they at least wanted to negotiate what that would mean for them The Provisional Government created the Metis Bill of Rights to present to the government of Canada

The Métis Bill of Rights – What is it? A Bill of rights is like a list of demands that a group of people. In this case the Metis wanted to make sure they would get certain rights. As a student at O.L.G what rights would you like to have? Make your own “Student Bill of Rights” to be presented to Ms. Yurchuk, Mrs. Raymundo & Mr. Macareag

The Metis Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights outlined the Metis demands, including: Metis would keep their rights to their land Laws of new province would be decided by residents Federal Government would negotiate treaties with First Nations Both English and French would be used in government

The Execution of Thomas Scott Not everyone in Red River supported the Provisional Government or the Bill of Rights. Many English speakers were furious with the French Metis, even taking up arms against them The Provisional Government threw many of these people in jail

The Execution of Thomas Scott One of these prisoners was a man named Thomas Scott, who often threatened to kill Louis Riel and insulted the Metis guards. He was put on trial, found guilty, placed in front of a firing squad, and shot and killed.

The Execution of Thomas Scott Anglophone Perspective Scott’s death created huge backlash against the Metis government in Ontario News papers in Ontario called for revenge against the Metis leaders responsible (mainly Riel)

The Execution of Thomas Scott Francophone Perspective Canadiens in Quebec were supportive of the Metis in Red River They saw them as defenders of the Francophone way of life in the West

The Execution of Thomas Scott This situation renewed former conflicts between English Ontario and French Quebec. The situation at Red River now threatened to become a National Crisis!

The Creation of Manitoba Read pgs 185-186 in your Voices and Visions textbook. Afterwards, answer question 1 in Think it Through at the bottom of pg. 186 First Nations Metis English Speakers

Canada: A Peoples History