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Red River Rebellion Events
These are the major events that lead to the Red River Rebellion. -
Ruperts Land Sold
Ruperts Land was an enormoues territory owned by the Hudson Bay Company. It encompassed 8 million square kilometers , including most of the prairies and parts of what are now northern Quebec, northern Ontario, and Nunavut. The Americans, who had just paid Russia $7.2 million for Alaska in 1867, were looking for other properties to expand the Republic and eyed the territory. Canada saw Rupert's Land as the natural extension of its new nation which included Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario -
Ruperts Land Sold
and Quebec. The Hudson's Bay Company was prepared to sell to the Americans who would pay top dollar, but the British government made it clear it wanted the territory to be sold to Canada. On March 20, 1869, the Hudson's Bay Company reluctantly, under pressure from Great Britain, sold Rupert's Land to the Government of Canada for $1.5 million. The sale involved roughly a quarter of the continent, a staggering amount of land, but it failed to take into account the existing residents - -
Ruperts Land Sold
Natives Americans and Metis. This is what started the whole Red River Rebellion. Canada has bought the Metis land where they live and now is planning to build on it. -
Louis Riel Stops Surveyors
The Hudson’s Bay Company had provided warnings to the federal government that if the land was surveyed in accordance to British standards the residents would be in opposition. The land sold to the settlers had been surveyed in accordance with the method used by Lord Selkirk: narrow strips of land from the river’s edge which had been laid out similar to the French seigneurial system. -
Louis Riel Stops Surveyors
A survey party led by Captain Adam Webb began to survey the property of André Nault, a Métis farmer. Nault protested the intrusion and called his cousin Louis Riel. Backed by more than a dozen Métis, Riel stood on the surveying chain demanding that Webb and his men stop. The surveyors withdrew. -
National Committee of the Metis
The National Committee of the Métis was brought together and made a committee on October 16, 1864. John Bruce was elected as president and Louis Riel as secretary. The committee was formed with the support of Father Ritchot. Ritchot hoped to minimize the independent actions of the federal authorities involving the management of the territory of the Red River Colony. The committee ordered that Lieutenant McDougall was not allowed entry. -
Lieutenant-Governor William Mcdougall arrives
Lieutenant-Governor William McDougall arrived at Red River settlement to govern the new territory and was stopped and sent away by a band of armed Metis -
Fort Garry Captured
In anticipation of the transfer, settlers streamed in from Canada's most populated province, Ontario, eager to claim land on the plains. The Métis were concerned about their language and religious rights because the newcomers were mostly English-speaking Protestants. In addition, they were justifiably afraid of losing their lands, for most of the Métis were squatters or settlers without title. -
Fort Garry Captured
settlers and peasants. Riel set out with a group of 120 armed men for Fort Garry, the administrative centre of the region. With no troops to support him, William MacTavish - governor of Rupert's Land - watched helplessly at the fort was taken by Riel. -
Canada Rules Ruperts Land
The official transfer of the land to Canada had been set for December 1, 1869. But Macdonald postponed payment to the Hudson's Bay Company because of the disturbances in Red River. -
Armed Canadians Try To Attack Fort Garry
A group of armed Canadians including Thomas Scott, an Ontario man who was adamantly against the Metis and their ways, marched into the Red River settlement and tried to attack Fort Garry. The group was caught and jailed by Riel. -
Macdonald Sends Messenger To The Metis
Macdonald fears of the destruction of “Canada” and sends a messenger to ask what they want. Macdonald hoped it would soften their minds and make peace. He thinks that most Métis aren’t educated and might agree to his terms. The Métis sends the messenger back with their Métis BILL OF RIGHTS which includes their requests. -
Metis Bill of Righs
- The right to elect our Legislature.
- The Legislature to have power to pass all laws, local to the Territory, over the veto of the Executive, by a two-third vote.
- No act of the Dominion Parliament (local to this Territory) to be binding on the people until sanctioned by their representatives.
- All sheriffs, magistrates, constables, etc., etc., to be elected by the people -- a free homestead pre-emption law.
- A portion of the public lands to be appropriated to the benefit of
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Metis Bill of Rights
schools, the building of roads, bridges and parish buildings.
6. A guarantee to connect Winnipeg by rail with the nearest line of railroad -- the land grant for such road or roads to be subject to the Legislature of the Territory.
7. For 4 years the public expenses of the Territory, civil, military and municipal, to be paid out of the Dominion treasury.
8. The military to be composed of the people now existing in the Territory.
9.The French and English language to be common in the Legislature -
Metis Bill Of Rights
and Council, and all public documents and acts of Legislature to be published in both languages.
10. That the Judge of the Superior Court speak French and English.
11. Treaties to be concluded and ratified between the Government and several tribes of Indians of this Territory, calculated to insure peace in the future.
12. That all privileges, customs and usages existing at the time of the transfer to be respected.
13. That these rights be guaranteed by Mr. McDougall before he be admitted into -
Metis Bill Of Rights
this Territory.
14. If he have not the power himself to grant them, he must get an act of Parliament passed expressly securing us these rights; and until such act be obtained, he must stay outside of the Territory.
15. That we have a full and fair representation in the Dominion Parliament. -
Riel Orders Trial For Thomas Scott
Most people in the Red River colony had supported Riel’s provisional government, but a small group of settlers known as “the Canadians” were strongly against it. They were jailed by Riel. Thomas Scott was one of them! Thomas Scott was a member of this group of “Canadians” and after being sent to jail, threatens to escape and kill Riel. Scott beats up the guards, calls the Metis a pack of cowards, and insults their Roman Catholic religion. -
Thomas Scott Sentenced To Death
Riel's actions to date had been moderate, but with Scott he overreacted and appointed a military tribunal to try the prisoner for treason. Scott was convicted, sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad in the courtyard of Fort Garry. It was Riel's greatest miscalculation and an act that would cost him the moral high ground. Protestants in Canada's largest province, Ontario, reacted with anger. There were calls for Riel to be hanged and the Ontario government offered a bounty. -
Riel Flees To The United States
Wolseley's troops arrived before Archibald, and although they were supposed to restore order and keep the peace, a number of the soldiers wanted to seek out Riel and avenge the death of Scott. Warned of their intentions, Riel, Lépine and William O'Donoghue, an Irish American, had time to flee to sanctuary in the United States. Riel went to the Métis settlement of St. Joseph, in Dakota Territory, to await news from Red River. -
Red River Settlement Named Manitoba
Now with Riel in hiding there is nobody to stand up for the Red River Settlement as he was one of the few English-speaking representatives for the Metis. The Red River Settlement is now named Manitoba and is a new province of Canada. The Resistance has finally come to an end.
