1. Changes in the Red River Settlement1860-1870 Part I

2. Red River Valley
Rising population in Canada West during 1850s meant that most suitable agricultural land was occupied
By 1860s many people were looking for new areas to settle and farm
Red River Valley became an appealing prospect
disrupted the lives of the original inhabitants of the Red River Valley once again

3. Rising Tensions Immigration to the area from Canada West
new Canadian settlers were Protestant members of Orange Order: a violently anti-French, anti-Catholic movement prejudiced against the Métis
Dr. John Christian Schultz immigrant – took over newspaper NorWester – promoted Canadian interests by agitating Métis
Used newspaper to promote anti-Métis views

4. Rising Tensions Economic problems also contributed to rising tensions
crop failures
bison disappearing from the prairies
HBC losing interest in the area
Métis never made legal claim to the area
believed if you cleared land and farmed it, then you had a right to it

5. Brainstorming Question
What do you think the inhabitants of the Red River Valley would have been thinking at this point?

6. Canada Purchases Rupert’s Land
Fathers of Confederation planned for all BNA colonies to join Canada
The HBC wanted to give up control of Rupert’s Land
difficult to maintain control over such a vast area
fur trade was declining and more and more settlers were moving to the Northwest
HBC realized that to survive it would have to diversify its operations and drop its administrative duties in the territory

7. Land Transfer HBC did not consult people in the Red River Settlement
did not care about their special interests
people in Red River settlement heard rumours and were upset, especially the Métis
1869 the Canadian government received title to Rupert’s Land
HBC received cash payment of $1.5 million, 2.8 million hectares of prairie land, and the right to continue with the fur trade but without the same monopoly

8. Surveyors
1868 Dominion of Canada surveyors arrived in Red River to lay out the grids of townships
Surveyors assumed that the current occupants did not own their property
Surveyors also failed to recognize the seigneurial patterns of farms that had existed along the Red River since the 1820s

9. Arrival of Louis Riel 1868 Louis Riel returned to the Red River Valley
was literate and a well educated lawyer fluent in both French and English
Soon assumed the role of the leader of the Métis people

10. Brainstorming Questions
Imagine you are a Métis person and your life has been dramatically affected once again by intrusions into the Red River Valley. Who would you be mad at? Why?
How would you respond to what was happening around you?