The Métis: Review
“Half-Bloods”
Children of Europeans and First
Nations
Distinct culture
Mostly French speaking
Mostly Catholic
Largest group concentrated in
Red River
The Red River Colony
In present day Manitoba
Lived on and farmed by the Métis
for over 100 years
Land “owned” by Hudson Bay
Company
Land sold to Scottish Lord Selkirk
by HBC
Attempts to create Scottish
settlement
Conflict at Red River
Scottish colonists try to move in on
Métis territory
Métis fight back – Battle of Seven
Oaks
Many colonists give up, return
home
Lasting resentment between
English colonists and Métis
Sale of Rupert’s Land
Rupert’s Land owned by Hudson’s
Bay Company
Running out of good farmland in
Eastern Canada
Fear of America claiming land
Canada purchases land for $1.5
million
Sale of Rupert’s Land
Métis upset about purchase of
Rupert’s Land
Were not consulted before the
purchase
Felt it was not Hudson’s Bay
Companies to give away
Already had farms and
settlements there
Cultures in Conflict
Canada sends surveyors out to
divide land
Land divisions break up Métis
lands
Métis force surveyors to stop
Métis man named Louis Riel tells
surveyors to leave colony
Louis Riel
Educated Métis Man
Spoke English, French, and Cree
Studied to become a priest and a
lawyer
Would become leader of Métis
Resistance of Canadian
government
Red River Resistance
Riel organizes Métis
Métis take over Hudson’s Bay
Companies Fort Garry
Formed provisional (temporary)
government to control lands
around Red River
Negotiate better terms for
entrance into Canada
Métis Fears
Métis feared takeover by
Canadian government
would lead to:
Loss of land
Loss of power
Assimilation
Loss of Language
Loss of culture
Bill of Rights
Created a list of demands including:
Creation of Province for the Métis
Protection of French and English in the new province
Right of Métis to keep their land
Government elected by local people
Right to vote for federal government
English Colonists React
Still English colonists in Red
River
Want to become part of
Canada
Raise militia – try to fight Métis
Defeat and held prisoner in
Fort Garry
Execution of Thomas Scott
One of the prisoners taken by the
Métis
Loud and obnoxious – insults Riel
and Métis guards
Métis put Scott on trial – decide to
execute him
Scott killed by firing squad in front
of Fort Garry
English Canada Reacts
English Canada outraged
Call execution of Scott murder
Want revenge against Métis
Provisional Government
Want Riel executed
French Canada Reacts
French Canada supports Métis
Similar language and religion
See similar struggle to preserve
language and culture
Ask for recognition of Métis
demands
First Nations Reaction
First Nations find common cause
with Métis
Similarly affected by sale of
Rupert’s land
Lands also being claimed without
permission
Desire preservation of language
and culture
Not as involved in Red River
Resistance
Creation of Manitoba
John A. Macdonald and the
federal government work to keep everyone happy
Give Métis most of what they
asked for
Pass Manitoba Act which
creates province, supports
Métis rights
Aftermath of the Resistance
Canadian government also sends
army to Red River
Refuses to pardon Riel and
associates
Riel banished for five years
Mostly English army takes anger
out on local Métis
Many promised land claims not
given
English settlers move into
Manitoba
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