1. THE NORTHWEST TO 1870

2. THE BATTLE FOR THE FUR TRADE 1800-1810
HBCo. & NWC Fur trade battle grew fierce.
Furs become scarce & posts moved farther and farther inland (as far west as B.C.)
The “race” for the west was on.

3. THE METIS (French for ‘mixed’)
The NWCo. encouraged native/European marriages. It secured trading rights and helped to improve voyageurs’ lifestyle.
Many lived in the Red River Valley and combined both Native and European lifestyles.
Buffalo hunts
Pemmican (for sale to voyageurs)
Seigneurial land patterns
Farmers

4. THE BUFFALO HUNT HIDE - blankets, BONE - Clubs, arrowheads,
robes, whips, saddles,
Clothing, moccasins.
BONE - Clubs, arrowheads,
foods, knives, ornaments.
SINEW / MUSCLE
Thread, Bow strings..
HAIR - Halters,
Padding, head dress,
ornaments.
FAT - soap.
BUFFALO
CHIPS -fuel.
HORN - Clubs,
spoons, ornaments,
Powder horns.
TAIL - ceremonial
ornamental.
SKULL
- ceremonial.
BRAIN - used
for tanning.
BLADDER
- Bags, pouches.
TEETH - necklas
ornaments.
SCROTUM
- rattles.
TONGUE
Meat.
MEAT- Roasted
- Boiled, dried.
HOOF/FOOT
Rattles, glue,
spoons.
BEARD
Ornaments.
INTERNAL ORGANS
- food, containers.
MARROW
- Food, Soup.

5. COLONY ON THE RED RIVER Selkirk
Wealthy landowners decided to stop renting much of their land to farmers in Scotland
Many of them moved to N. America.
Selkirk was director of the HBC and felt he could give Scottish farmers a home & supply HBC workers with food.
Convinced HBC to give him sq. km. => Selkirk’s Grant.
Nobody even considered the people already living there.
Selkirk
Scottish Enclosures - farmers forced to leave, as land
was more valuable for grazing sheep.

6. PROBLEMS FACED BY RED RIVER SETTLERS
Scottish not used to harsh winters.
Macdonell’s farmers arrived too late to prepare for winter.
Farmers first crops were failures.
Pemmican proclamation ordered to feed settlers.
Métis not allowed to export pemmican for 1 year
NWC retaliated against Pemmican proclamation.
Worked with Métis to drive the HBC and new settlers away

7. The Merger of the HBC and the NWC (1821)
George Simpson
NWC and HBC continued to struggle for control over the Red River, as well as control of the fur trade for several years
As the pelts declined the two fur trading companies both approached bankruptcy
How would this affect the Northwest Territory/Rupert’s Land?
England forced them to merge => The Hudson’s Bay Company.
Frances Simpson

8. THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT 1821-1860
Red River Cart
For next 40 yrs, a relatively peaceful, stable, self-sufficient community.
By 1860, 80% ‘mixed’ descent.
Built around the needs of the HBC.
To this day, Winnipeg St. is The widest street in Can. It was built to fit ten “Red River Carts.”
Red River
Rich Farm Land

9. CANADA PURCHASES RUPERT’S LAND

11. Review Where is Red River? Who lives in this area?
What happened after the form of Confederation?

12. No one had consulted the Métis
Cause
Canada bought Rupert’s land
William McDougall
Tensions rose- land structure
No one had consulted the Métis
How did they feel?
What are their worries?

13. “In a little while it will be over
“In a little while it will be over. We may fail, but the rights for which we contend will not die.”
— Louis Riel

14. First, Try to Solve Peacefully
The Metis’ Reaction
First, Try to Solve Peacefully
National Committee of the Metis
Lead by Riel
Sent a note to Ottawa - McDougall shouldn’t enter without their permission
When McDougall arrived, they blocked him

15. violent but want to negotiate
The Métis’ Reaction
Provisional Government
Lead by Riel
Occupied Fort Gary - to get govt’s attention
Goal: - Negotiate with the Canadian gov. to establish Manitoba as a province
- The Metis should have a voice
Pro- Metis
violent but want to negotiate
Metis List of Rights

16. Anti-Métis Opinion The Canada Party Lead by Dr. John Schultz
not a political party - agitators
Goal: reconstruct the colony in the image of Protestant Ontario
prepared to attack Fort Garry - defeated
Pro- Canada

17. Métis List of Rights We demand that:
The people have the right to elect their own legislature
The legislature has the power to determine all laws within our territory
English and French must both be used in government and in the courts, and all public documents must be written in both languages.
Treaties between First Nations groups and the Government must be negotiated to ensure peaceful co-existence in the prairies.

18. What would you feel if you are Riel?
The Métis’ Reaction
Thomas Scott
Catholics shouldn’t be allowed
Metis should have no rights
Execution!!!!!
What would you feel if you are Riel?
What will you do?
Was that smart?

19. Canada’s Reaction Compromise
(Promised) The creation of Manitoba hectares of land for the Metis
Colonel Wolseley was sent to keep peace
The provisional govt. would not be an official government
Manitoba 1970

20. Canada’s Reaction Angry - Scott's execution
John A. promised Riel that he would receive amnesty
At the same time, MacDonald’s government announced that Riel was wanted for arrest
Riel learned about this and fled Canada for the USA

21. Canada’s Reaction
The province of Manitoba was created, but would not recognize the Métis’ provisional government.
The 200,000 hectares were never given
The Métis had to accept the decision, run away, or be arrested
Most of them fled to the Saskatchewan area
Manitoba developed as a European-style province; the Métis gradually lost their original culture.

22. Discuss Louis Riel - Hero or Traitor?

23. Discuss Struggle of the First Nations Canada’s change