Louis Riel

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Louis Riel Rebellion in the North-West

• SS 10
• Chapter 4 5 Notes

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Who was Louis Riel?

• Famous Manitoban?
• Father of the Metis Nation?
• Saint?

• Traitor?
• Power-hungry prophet?
• Madman?
• Sinner?

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HIS 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

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LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
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LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
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I. 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

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Ruperts Land
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II. 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

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Metis Way of Life
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II. 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

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Metis Symbol
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II. 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

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Thomas Scott
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II. 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

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Assignment

• 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!

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Manitoba- Canadas 5th Province- Postage Stamp
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Louis Riel Provisional Government
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II. 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

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III. 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

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Metis Migration
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Riel 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

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Metis Native Leaders in the North-West
Territories
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Riel 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

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Battle in the North-West
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Riel 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?

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Louis Riel- Hero or Traitor?
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Louis Riel Day
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Louis Riels Grave
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The End!