1. Changes: The Red River Settlement between 1860- 1870

2. Lots of changes in the 1860s…
Many people immigrated to the Northwest
Canada became a dominion (a country that rules itself)
The HBC started to decline
Many Canadians moved West to find available farm land

3. The Orange Order
Although they were small in number, the presence of the Protestants increased tensions in the Red River
One of the first immigrants was Dr. John Schultz, he opened a general store, took over the newspaper “The NorWester”
By the end of the 1860s he had organized a small group called the Canadian Party which hoped to gain control of the settlement.

4. Economic problems…
Economic problems in the Red River contributed to rising tensions…
Crop failures
Decrease in bison
Less investment by the HBC

5. Land ownership issues…
The Metis never made legal claim to their territory although they had farmed it for years
According to HBC policy, all HBC employees were entitled to their farmland if they lived on it for 3 years
PROBLEM: The Metis believed that if a person cleared the land and farmed it, they had the right to it.

6. Canada Purchases Rupert’s Land
John A Macdonald and D’Arcy McGee wanted to create a country stretching from sea to sea
The HBC wanted to sell Rupert’s Land because the fur trade was declining and they were finding it difficult to maintain control over such a large territory

7. The negotiations begin…

8. The New Canada After this deal, Canada doubled in size.
The HBC received $1.5 million from the government, and 2.8 million hectares of prairie farmland
Before the deal was finalized, land surveyors arrived in the Red River settlement and started laying out grids for the townships…

9. Problems brewing…
The land surveyors assumed that the people who lived on the land did NOT own it and had no right to claim it…
THAT SAME YEAR,
LOUIS RIEL RETURNED
TO THE RED RIVER…

10. Louis Riel
Born in 1844, he was the son of Louis Riel Sr. who was the Metis leader for many years.
He was a literate, well- educated lawyer
He was fluent in both English and French
He was an excellent speaker
He was only 24 years old when he returned to the Red River

11. The Red River Rebellion
In 1869, the tensions in the red River were very high
Settlers were angry at the HBC and at the land surveyors
Riel formed the Metis National Committee to fight for Metis rights

12. Tensions rise…
That summer, the Metis confronted the surveyors and told them to go back to Ottawa because they intended to govern themselves
Then, several Metis (under Riel’s command) seized Fort Garry and stole the munitions
THE RED RIVER REBELLION HAD BEGUN!

13. Goal of the Rebellion
Riel and supporters simply wanted to ensure that the people of Red River would retain their rights and traditions when it came under Canadian government rule.
They did not want to rebel against Canada…

14. The Provisional Government
Riel set up a Provisional gov’t
They wanted the Red River Settlement to join Canada as it’s own province- Manitoba

15. The Provisional Government
Why did Riel want a new province?
He feared that if McDougall took charge of the area, the Metis would be ignored and would lose their rights

16. Metis List of Rights (see page 161) What do you think of these rights?
Are they fair?

17. Civil War?
Riel feared that a civil war would begin because the Canadian Party was armed and ready to attack the Metis
To stop this from happening…
Riel led a party of armed Metis to Schulz’s home (headquarters of Canadian Party)
They took 48 of Schulz’s followers to Fort Garry

18. Riel and Macdonald
After this, Riel declared that he was ready to negotiate with the Canadian government
Macdonald refused to recognize Riel and would not negotiate with him
THE METIS DID NOT GIVE UP!

19. Escape from Fort Garry
Schultz escaped Fort Garry and plotted to free the other prisoners
However, the Metis arrested them again shortly after they escaped
One of the prisoners was a member of the Canadian Party named:
Thomas Scott

20. Thomas Scott
Scott was a particularly out spoken and belligerent member of the Canadian Party
He was strongly anti- Metis and was verbally and physically abusive to the guards in jail
He also threatened Louis Riel’s life

21. Thomas Scott
In response to his behaviour, Riel and his provisional government decided to execute him in March
Although all six members of the firing squad took aim together, they did not kill Scott immediately
The squad director had to shoot him again to kill him

22. OUTRAGE!
Schultz and the Orange Order made Thomas Scott into a Protestant martyr who had been cruelly murdered by the Metis
Cries for justice and retaliation soon reached the government officials in Ottawa

23. A Compromise…
In April, Macdonald finally offered a compromise to the Metis:
He did not allow provincial control of public lands
BUT
He did give the Metis hectares of land to recognize their aboriginal title

24. Manitoba becomes a province…
On May 2nd, legislation confirmed that Manitoba would be included into Canada

25. Riel When government troops arrived in the Red River in August,
RIEL WAS GONE… He (wisely) had fled to the USA…
All of the member of the provisional government were granted Amnesty- except Riel-
HE WAS BANISHED FROM CANADA FOR 5 YEARS

26. Riel in Exile
Riel would spend the next 15 years in exile in the United States…
HOWEVER, He would later return to take up a new cause…