1885 Riel Rebellion

The acquisition of the Northwest or ‘Rupert’s Land’ by the Federal government led to a chain of events which triggered the uprising from the Metis in the Red River Settlement of Manitoba. The government of John A. Macdonald needed to acquire Rupert’s Land because the Americans were keen on annexing the land. Negotiations started in 1868 in London between Canada and the Hudson Bay Company (HBC). In 1869-70, one of the largest real-estate deals in history took place, Canada paid the HBC a cash amount of £300,000 and gave the HBC one-twentieth of the land to maintain its trading posts. The establishment of a temporary colonial government in the area was the next goal in mind of the Macdonald government. There is

Louis Riel stood trial for treason of the Canadian government on August 1st, 1885 where he is found guilty and sentenced to be hanged. On November 16th, 1885, Louis Riel is hanged at the police barracks in Regina. The Northwest rebellion of 1885 has finally come to a dreadful end.

From the time of the Manitoba Act in 1870, more problems started to collect in the Northwest from 1871 leading up to the rebellion of 1885. One problem was the negotiations of the treaties in the west. 1871 was the beginning of these treaties including the setting aside of reserve land, payment of compensation, medicine assistance, and food aid in case of famine. Treaties 1 to 5 were signed between 1871-1875 affecting the Naïve peoples in Ontario, Manitoba, and southern Saskatchewan. Treaties 6 and 7 are the one’s that cause some problems. The Cree of Saskatchewan and Alberta signed treaty 6 in 1876. Five years after the treaty was signed a problem sets in, famine. In 1881 the leader of the Cree, Chief Poundmaker, leads his tribe south to the Cypress Hills where there was secure game along the international border. Fort Walsh was the government’s main supply depot where rations were provided, but there wasn’t enough since there were many Cree and Assiniboine. The other problem was that the buffalo did not come, so the tribes stayed at Fort Walsh where rations were running low. The Macdonald government wanted Poundmaker’s people out of Fort Walsh because of conflicts with Montana. The government was using starvation as a means to get the Natives out of the fort, if they left they would be fed. The Natives of Alberta and Saskatchewan felt that the government closed the door and did not provide food rations in time of scarcity. The government shortly after closed Fort Walsh. The final result was when Poundmaker and his tribe went to their reserve west of Battleford, there was no agricultural support and no government assistance with food rations. Another Cree chief, Chief Big Bear was also heavily involved and was one of the last chiefs forced into signing Treaty 6. Since the government was not upholding treaty promises, Indians from all around Alberta and Saskatchewan, mainly the Cree and Assinaboine, met in Battleford to mobilize forces that will later join Louis Riel, who was called among the Cree to help them in their assistance of treaty demands, in Batoche, Saskatchewan.

sent in after the act was stated only to find Fort Garry empty. Riel had won his people land and cultural rights, land in particular was that set aside for the Metis and their children. There was a downfall, many Metis families had their land seized by migrants from Ontario and passed amendments, since they dominated the economic, political, and social systems, which made it difficult for Metis to prove that they owned land. Many Metis fled further west as a result. This was just a battle victory for Riel and the Metis, but there was still tension that will lead to a war between the Metis and the Federal government.

a problem when Macdonald sends his appointed governor, William McDougall to Rupert’s Land. McDougall is sent out with a survey crew which are surveying the land to build a road from Fort Garry to Lake of the Woods when they are cut off by the Metis of the Red River Settlement led by Louis Riel. An uprising is slowly starting to emerge from this point onward. The French Metis are upset because they were not consulted about the sale of their homeland, they had no idea. The stage is now set for the resistance of the Red River Settlement and starts to take form. The Metis, with Louis Riel as their leader, sets up a provisional government in Upper Fort Garry where they had full control of the Red River. Canada decides to delay the transfer of the colony until this dispute is settled. Macdonald opens the door for negotiations with Riel and the Metis. In November 1869

Some topics in this essay:
Red River, Metis Native, Fort Walsh, Louis Riel, Metis Indian, Manitoba Act, Fort Garry, Company Macdonald’s, Saskatchewan Alberta, Duck Lake, red river, louis riel, federal government, rebellion 1885, metis indian, land titles, provisional government, gabriel dumont, fort walsh, fish creek, red river settlement, red river colony, northwest rebellion 1885, metis native peoples, government white settler,