Title: Louis Riel
1Louis Riel Rebellion in the North-West
2Who was Louis Riel?
- Famous Manitoban?
- Father of the Metis Nation?
- Saint?
- Traitor?
- Power-hungry prophet?
- Madman?
- Sinner?
3HIS CHILDHOOD
- Born 1844, in St. Boniface, the Red River colony,
under HBC rule. - ParentsLouis Riel and Julie Lagimodiere, strong
Catholic family - Proud to be Metisancestors were French, English,
Scottish fathers and First Nations mothers - Heritage of buffalo hunting and trading
4LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
5LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
6I. Background to Rebellion
- 1868 Canadian government paid Hudson Bay Company
1,500,000 to buy Ruperts Land - Land was renamed- North-West Territories or NWT-
transferred to Canada in 1869 - Government surveys the land for townships for new
European immigrants - Metis live at Red River Settlement and maintain
own way of life - Metis were angered at arrival of surveyors and
attempted to stop from happening - William McDougall is appointed Lieutenant-Governor
of NWT without local approval
7Ruperts Land
8II. Red River Rebellion-Resistance, 1869-70-
Background
- An educated Louis Riel emerged as a leader of the
Metis - Riel set up Le Comite National de Metis (NCM)as a
temporary government at Red River - Purpose is to bargain with Canadian government
for the land, language, and religious rights of
the Metis - NCM 1. Stops McDougall from entering Red River
- 2. Seizes HBC post at Fort Garry
- 3. Create a List of Rights- conditions by
which the Metis will join Canada - Prime Minister John A. Macdonald did not want the
settlement to become part of Canada until the
claim was resolved - 1869, Riel set up a provisional government which
he headed
9Metis Way of Life
10II. Red River Rebellion-Resistance, 1869-70-
Metis List of Rights
- List of rights include
- Right to approve or reject Federal laws affecting
Red River - Right to have land set aside for schools, roads,
and public buildings - Every male householder over 21 could vote
- Riel and the Metis took their List of Rights to
Ottawa to be accepted by the Federal Government
11Metis Symbol
12II. Red River Rebellion-Resistance, 1869-70-
Thomas Scott
- Thomas Scott was a surveyor, member of the Canada
Party, and a Protestant member of the Orange
Order (anti-Catholic group) - Scott was given permission to drive Metis out of
Red River and actively protested against the
Metis government, uttering threats against Riel - Scott was jailed by the Metis for his actions
- Metis council found Scott guilty of
insubordination and disobedience and sentenced to
death- Scott was executed in 1870
13Thomas Scott
14II. Red River Rebellion-Resistance, 1869-70-
Government Responds
- Ontario Protestants called Riel and the Metis
murderers and demanded that the Federal
Government send out an army to end the uprising
at Red River - While Quebec Catholics protested any
interference, the Federal Conservatives
cautiously attempted to resolve the situation - The government decided that the Metis settlement
at Red River should join Confederation - July, 1870, the Manitoba Act was passed creating
the Postage Stamp province of Manitoba-
Canadas 5th province - Many of the Metis Rights were included in the
Manitoba Act and the creation of the province
allowed for greater Metis control over matters
15Assignment
- Complete Review Master R-10 Chapter 4 The
Northwest to 1070 - I. Important People, Groups, Events
1-4810-1214-16 - II. Main Ideas Concepts 1-5
- III. Comprehension 3-6 8-10
- IV. Crossword
- Due next week!
16Manitoba- Canadas 5th Province- Postage Stamp
17Louis Riel Provisional Government
18II. Red River Rebellion-Resistance, 1869-70-
Dealing with Riel
- 1870, Macdonald ordered a military expedition
under Colonel Wolseley to deal with Riel and his
actions - Fearing death for the murder of Thomas Scott,
Riel fled to the US where he remained until 1884 - Riel was elected as a Member of Parliament for
Manitoba and was pardoned for the killing of
Scott in 1875 by Macdonald
19III. Riel and the North-West Rebelllion, 1885-
Background
- 1870s Metis were pushed further and further into
the North-West Territories - Living conditions of the Metis were poor- their
lots were bought and re-surveyed by Ottawa land
speculators and new immigrants were buying up
land- thus disrupting traditional hunting and
farming practices of the Metis - Metis petitioned Ottawa for changes
- Macdonald repsonded with promise and scrip or
promisary certificates fpr land and cash - Metis once again set up a Provisional Government
20Metis Migration
21Riel and the North-West Rebelllion, 1885- Return
of Riel
- Metis needed proper leadership- Metis leader
Gabriel Dumont traveled to Montana to convince a
retired, very religious, teacher Louis Riel to
return and lead new Metis negotiations with
Ottawa - Reluctantly, Riel agreed to return and lead the
Provisional Government of the North-West
Territory in negotiating Metis rights with Ottwa - First Nations bands led by Poundmaker and Big
Bear also supported the Metis
22Metis Native Leaders in the North-West
Territories
23Riel and the North-West Rebelllion, 1885
- 1885, Federal Government, not wanting to
negotiate with the Metis, sent out the military
to silence Riel and the Metis - Under the leadership of General Middleton, 8,000
soldiers were sent out on the newly created
Canadian Pacific Railway to deal with the Metis - So began the rebellion with battles at
- Duck Lake- Metis vs. General Crozier and the
NWMP 12 NWMP dead/5 Metis dead - Frog Lake- 9 total dead
- Fish Creek- Dumont vs. Middleton
- Batoche- Riel, Dumont, Metis vs. Middleton
NWMP 4 day fight Riel defeated
24Battle in the North-West
25Riel and the North-West Rebelllion, 1885- Riels
Defeat Trial
- After Batoche, Riel and Dumont escape, but Riel
turns himself in - Riel is arrested and tried for treason- taking up
arms against the government - 1885, Regina, Riel is found guilty by a jury of 5
English-speaking Protestant jurors and is
sentenced to hang - November 16th, 1885, Louis Riel is hanged despite
protests from French Catholic Canadiens, pleas
for a pardon, and a failed bid to plead insane - The of Louis Riel and his role in Canadian
history continues Hero or Traitor? Sane or
Insane? Selfless or Selfish?
26Louis Riel- Hero or Traitor?
27Louis Riel Day
28Louis Riels Grave
29The End!