Louis Riel Manitoba and Rebellion. Rupert’s Land purchased from the HBC 1.5 million official date for the transfer was to be December 1, 1869 citizens.

Louis RielLouis RielManitoba and RebellionManitoba and Rebellion

Rupert’s Land• purchased from the HBC

• 1.5 million

• official date for the transfer was to be December 1, 1869

• citizens were not consulted…

• population was about 12 000

• 10 000 Metis

• English-Canadians from Ontario

• a few Americans

• most people lived along the Red River

oh boy…• Metis were worried that the Canadians would take

their land and culture away

• their fears were realized when surveyors began to plan rectangular townships

• when the sale was finalized, the Canadians at the settlement welcomed t hoping for an influx of settlers from Ontario

• the Metis felt that this would lead to a destruction of their culture

• Louis Riel to the rescue… ?

Louis Riel• believed in the Metis cause

• spoke fluent English and French

• was Metis (half French/half Native)

• he was a well-educated, twenty-five year old young lad

Oh No They Didn’t…• Ottawa new tensions were growing

along the Red River but were not concerned

• October 11, 1869 - Riel and his men stopped a government survey near the Red River

• a more serious challenge took place on October 21

Oh, ya, They Totally Did!

• Lieutenant-Governor of newly purchased Rupert’s Land, William MacDougal, was denied entry to the Red River Colony from the United States

• Riel seized Fort Garry (Winnipeg) and began planning negotiations with the Canadian government

• MacDougal wrongly declared that the HBC was no longer in control of the territory

• the Canadian government asked for the transfer of sovereignty to be postponed

• so, the Metis created a provisional government

A What?• A Provisional Government

• a government established when a previous government collapses or is no longer able to rule

• Riel took MacDonald’s hesitation in transferring ownership as a void in leadership

• so, Riel took over ruling the Red River Settlement

Riel’s Government• Riel negotiated directly with the Canadian

government to establish Assiniboia (Manitoba) as a province, until….

• THOMAS SCOTT

• he had resisted the provisional government

• he was imprisoned

• there, he abused guards and threatened to kill Riel

• he was put on trial, was found guilty and was executed

Reactions• Quebec was sympathetic

• Riel was seen as a patriot standing up for French-Canadians

• Ontario

• Orangemen (English protestants) worked against the privileges sought by the Metis

• Prime Minister Macdonald refused to recognize the provisional government

• he sent negotiators to deal with the Legislative assembly - to which Riel was made President

Still Reacting…• Macdonald was pressured to order troops

into the Red River to end the rebellion

• eventually he did

• the journey took over ninety days - they marched the whole way

The Manitoba Act• May 12, 1870

• province of Manitoba was created

• separate Protestant and Catholic schools

• French and English were both official languages

• a bicameral legislature

• $30 000 yearly subsidy and 80 cent per capita grant until the population reached 400 000