The Significance of the Red River
In 1867 U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia. This made Canada frightened that that the U.S. would try to take control over more of their territory. Canada West was interested in buying Rupert's Land because they believed it had economic potential and so they could claim it before the U.S. would. In 1869 HBC sold Rupert's Land to the Canadian government. Prime Minister Macdonald wanted to control of the new region so he selected William McDougall and sent him to the Red River to start and build a new government.
In 1850's there was the Metis tribe, they were a mix of between European and FNS people. The Metis were settled along the west and not the east. This was because the Metis that their culture would be disapproved by the Europeans. In 1850's while they lived along the red river, Scottish settlers began to also live along the river. The Metis started to fear the Scottish settlers because they were afraid of losing their hunting grounds. The government saw this problem and decided to send surveyors to survey the scenario and come up with a resolution. Thomas Scott (one of the surveyors) observed the Metis and said their culture was wrong and that they should be outcasts. This left the Metis really defenseless and they objected the surveyors that were being sent. They predicted that surveyors would divide lands in individual lots and in squares rather than long and narrow areas, governments would then sell the land to settlers. Fences would be built to keep wild animals out and the livestock in, however this would disrupt the bison hunt. The Metis were also concerned that the new settlers would be English Protestant rather than French Catholics. They feared that the Metis way of life would be destroyed and there was nothing that they could do about it. They decided that they needed a leader.
The Metis brought in a man named Louis Riel who was a public speaker and came to Manitoba to visit his cousin. While he was there he agreed to help the Metis. One of Louis' plans was to establish a government the Metis could support. However Thomas continued to survey the land and also continued to disapprove of the Metis culture. In 1860 Louis' plan was successful. The Metis got a role in the government and discussed about how Thomas rebelled them and Executed him in March 1870 because he was guilty of treason. Since Thomas' death the settlement saw Louis Riel as a criminal, and the government issued a warrant for his arrest. So Riel escaped to the United States and his followers went to what is now Saskatchewan.
In 1850's there was the Metis tribe, they were a mix of between European and FNS people. The Metis were settled along the west and not the east. This was because the Metis that their culture would be disapproved by the Europeans. In 1850's while they lived along the red river, Scottish settlers began to also live along the river. The Metis started to fear the Scottish settlers because they were afraid of losing their hunting grounds. The government saw this problem and decided to send surveyors to survey the scenario and come up with a resolution. Thomas Scott (one of the surveyors) observed the Metis and said their culture was wrong and that they should be outcasts. This left the Metis really defenseless and they objected the surveyors that were being sent. They predicted that surveyors would divide lands in individual lots and in squares rather than long and narrow areas, governments would then sell the land to settlers. Fences would be built to keep wild animals out and the livestock in, however this would disrupt the bison hunt. The Metis were also concerned that the new settlers would be English Protestant rather than French Catholics. They feared that the Metis way of life would be destroyed and there was nothing that they could do about it. They decided that they needed a leader.
The Metis brought in a man named Louis Riel who was a public speaker and came to Manitoba to visit his cousin. While he was there he agreed to help the Metis. One of Louis' plans was to establish a government the Metis could support. However Thomas continued to survey the land and also continued to disapprove of the Metis culture. In 1860 Louis' plan was successful. The Metis got a role in the government and discussed about how Thomas rebelled them and Executed him in March 1870 because he was guilty of treason. Since Thomas' death the settlement saw Louis Riel as a criminal, and the government issued a warrant for his arrest. So Riel escaped to the United States and his followers went to what is now Saskatchewan.