Louis Riel October 22, 1844

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Louis RielOctober 22, 1844 November 16, 1885

• Grade 11

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Canadas First Prime Minister John A. Macdonalds
National Policy sought to grow Canada
through tariffs on U.S goods, the CPR railway
through the West tying Canada sea to sea and to
promote immigrants settling empty lands on the
Prairies (where the buffalo AND Native/Metis
buffalo hunters lived). Thus, he would become
Louis Riels nemesis.
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TheReal Riel
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Gabriel Dumont Riels top soldier
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The realization of Macdonalds dream Donald Smith
driving the CPRs LAST SPIKE in Craigellacchie,
B.C., 1885. after 15 years of hard work and many
navvies dying at work on the project.
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Background Info.

• He was born in 1844.
• He was his parents first child.
• His Mother was French, and his father was Métis.
• He grew up with the Métis.

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Hero Or Traitor.

• Louis was a Hero to many. Many think we just
  choose Hero because it is easier, but many have
  reasons.
• He stood up for what he believed in.
• He stood up for his people.
• He led two resistance movements against the
  Canadian government.
• He was named the Father of Manitoba, for never
  giving up.
• He was arrested, executed, but he still hung on
  and fought the whole way.

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Canadian Government.

• From the view of the Government
• He rebelled against the laws.
• He did not respect the rules.
• He was doing something pointless.
• He would get nowhere.
• He was crazy to think he could defeat the
  government.
• He thought God was telling him to fight (like
  Joan of Arc)
• He led others into following him to not follow
  the laws.
• He was a traitor, according to the Macdonald
  govt.!

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Red River Rebellion 1870

• Louis Riel played a big part in the Red River
  Rebellion, leading them against the laws.
• The HBC company gave their land to Canada,
  because it wanted to expand.
• The rebellions fought the government of Canada.
• The rebellions tried to preserve their culture.
• The rebellions fought for their land.
• The first rebellion led to the creation of
  Manitoba as the fifth province and Riel fled to
  the U.S.

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Northwest Rebellion 1885

• Saskatchewan 1885
• Riel returend from U.S. Exile to lead this
• Native Leaders Big Bear and Poundmaker
• Battles of Duck Lake and Batoche
• Ended when newly formed Mounties used Gatling
  Guns to crush the uprising. They got to the West
  from Ottawa fast because Parliament allowed
  Macdonald the funding to finish the CPR to get
  troops out west quickly
• Riel charged with Treason, Found guilty and
  hanged
• Catholic v Protestant, French v English, Native v
  European

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Painting of the final Metis defeat Battle of
Batoche
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What is a Hero ?

• Someone with respect.
• Someone who can lead.
• Someone who has confidence.
• Someone who has dreams.
• Someone who does something great.
• Someone who thinks the unthinkable.

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In the End

• Louis Riel was charged for Treason.
• He was hanged in St. Marys church in Regina.
• His legend still carries on to all.
• He was known for being the great leader of the
  Métis and fighting for their rights.
• He died at the age 41.

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WHO WAS LOUIS RIEL?
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WAS HE

• Famous Manitoban?
• Father of the Metis Nation?
• Saint?

• Traitor?
• Power-hungry prophet?
• Madman?
• Sinner?

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LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
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LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
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LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
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HIS CHILDHOOD

• Born 1844, in St. Boniface, the Red River colony,
  under HBC rule.
• ParentsLouis Riel and Julie Lagimodiere, strong
  Catholic family
• Proud to be Metisancestors were French, English,
  Scottish fathers and First Nations mothers
• Heritage of buffalo hunting and trading

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• Louis Riel,
• age 14, 1858

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HIS YOUTH

• Schooling under Bishop Tache until age 13
• Trip by ox-cart, ferry and train to Quebec
• Studied seven years at the College of Montreal to
  become a priest
• But then worked in a law office
• Became a great debater
• Learned about politics
• Returned to the Red River area

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HBC LAND
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BACK HOME

• His father's death in 1864 plunged him into a
  deep depression.
• In 1868 at age 24 he returned to Red River to
  help his widowed mother and to accomplish
  something with his life.
• The Federal government was trying to annex the
  North West to prevent Americans from taking it
  over.
• The buffalo had disappeared, and crops were
  terrible. Settlers were moving in from Ontario.
• The Metis and their country born cousins numbered
  5,750 and 4,000 respectively vs 1,600 whites and
  perhaps 700 natives rounded out the population in
  Red River.
• The Hudson Bay political control was collapsing.
• They were willing to sell their land to Canada.

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Louis Riel Provisional Government
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Riel Father of the Metis

• The land already occupied would not be taken from
  the Métis, and a large section of land was
  reserved for them.
• There was a provision for religious schools.
• French was to be a language of debate.

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RIEL Father of Manitoba

• Manitoba became a PROVINCE on May 12, 1870.
• Not just part of the North-West Territories.
• Elected assembly.
• Representation in the Canadian Parliament in
  Ottawa.

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RIEL From 1870 to 1885

• Escaped to the US.
• Riel was elected MP for Manitoba, but couldnt
  safely go to Ottawa.
• Mostly lived in exile in Montana.
• Here he was a teacher and got married.
• Louis Riel's mental state deteriorated, affecting
  his leadership and decisions.

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On the Prairies1870 - 1885

• Buffalo were dying out across the prairies.
• Metis and First Nations peoples were enduring
  hard times famine and disease caused many
  deaths.
• Canadian government promises of land, farm
  equipment, and medical supplies often not kept.
• The North-West Mounted Police had become a
  well-established presence in the West by the
  1880s.
• The Canadian Pacific Railway - which could
  quickly bring in new military supplies and fresh
  personnel, if needed - was almost complete.

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The North-West Rebellion

• Riel was asked for help, by the Metis.
• The area is now northern Saskatchewan.
• Several battles fought.
• Battle of Batochethe Metis were defeated and
  Louis Riel captured.
• He was hanged for treason in Regina in 1885.

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Louis Riel

• This powerpoint presentation created Jan/09, by
  Wendy Hildebrand, Social Studies CST.
• Thanks especially to Greg Pruden, MECY Aboriginal
  Perspectives Consultant.
• Website mainly used http//www.canadiana.org/citm
  /themes/aboriginals/aboriginals5_e.html
• Read from Louis Riel, by Rosemary Neering
• Used clip from DVDSt. Laurent

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WHO WAS LOUIS RIEL?
44
WAS HE

• Famous Manitoban?
• Father of the Metis Nation?
• Saint?

• Traitor?
• Power-hungry prophet?
• Madman?
• Sinner?

45
LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
46
LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
47
LOUIS RIEL DAY, FEBRUARY 2008
48
HIS CHILDHOOD

• Born 1844, in St. Boniface, the Red River colony,
  under HBC rule.
• ParentsLouis Riel and Julie Lagimodiere, strong
  Catholic family
• Proud to be Metisancestors were French, English,
  Scottish fathers and First Nations mothers
• Heritage of buffalo hunting and trading

49
(No Transcript)
50

• Louis Riel,
• age 14, 1858

51
HIS YOUTH

• Schooling under Bishop Tache until age 13
• Trip by ox-cart, ferry and train to Quebec
• Studied seven years at the College of Montreal to
  become a priest
• But then worked in a law office
• Became a great debater
• Learned about politics
• Returned to the Red River area

52
HBC LAND
53
BACK HOME

• His father's death in 1864 plunged him into a
  deep depression.
• In 1868 at age 24 he returned to Red River to
  help his widowed mother and to accomplish
  something with his life.
• The Federal government was trying to annex the
  North West to prevent Americans from taking it
  over.
• The buffalo had disappeared, and crops were
  terrible. Settlers were moving in from Ontario.
• The Metis and their country born cousins numbered
  5,750 and 4,000 respectively vs 1,600 whites and
  perhaps 700 natives rounded out the population in
  Red River.
• The Hudson Bay political control was collapsing.
• They were willing to sell their land to Canada.

54
Louis Riel Provisional Government
55
(No Transcript)
56
Riel Father of the Metis

• The land already occupied would not be taken from
  the Métis, and a large section of land was
  reserved for them.
• There was a provision for religious schools.
• French was to be a language of debate.

57
(No Transcript)
58
(No Transcript)
59
RIEL Father of Manitoba

• Manitoba became a PROVINCE on May 12, 1870.
• Not just part of the North-West Territories.
• Elected assembly.
• Representation in the Canadian Parliament in
  Ottawa.

60
(No Transcript)
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RIEL From 1870 to 1885

• Escaped to the US.
• Riel was elected MP for Manitoba, but couldnt
  safely go to Ottawa.
• Mostly lived in exile in Montana.
• Here he was a teacher and got married.
• Louis Riel's mental state deteriorated, affecting
  his leadership and decisions.

62
On the Prairies1870 - 1885

• Buffalo were dying out across the prairies.
• Metis and First Nations peoples were enduring
  hard times famine and disease caused many
  deaths.
• Canadian government promises of land, farm
  equipment, and medical supplies often not kept.
• The North-West Mounted Police had become a
  well-established presence in the West by the
  1880s.
• The Canadian Pacific Railway - which could
  quickly bring in new military supplies and fresh
  personnel, if needed - was almost complete.

63
(No Transcript)
64
(No Transcript)
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The North-West Rebellion

• Riel was asked for help, by the Metis.
• The area is now northern Saskatchewan.
• Several battles fought.
• Battle of Batochethe Metis were defeated and
  Louis Riel captured.
• He was hung for treason in Regina in 1885.

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(No Transcript)
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Seeking SovereigntyLouis Riel and The Red River
Metis (18691885)

• Since 1670, the Hudsons Bay Company (a British
  company) owned Ruperts Land the vast northern
  territory

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Seeking SovereigntyLouis Riel and The Red River
Metis (18691885)

• Since 1670, the Hudsons Bay Company (a British
  company) owned Ruperts Land the vast northern
  territory

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Seeking SovereigntyAnnexing the Northwest

• It was mostly occupied by Aboriginal peoples and
  fur traders, but there was also a settlement of
  Metis living near present-day Winnipeg, at a
  place called Red River.

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Seeking SovereigntyAnnexing the Northwest

• After Confederation, the Red River Metis were
  still British subjects, but they wanted to become
  part of the Dominion of Canada.
• Canada negotiated with the Hudsons Bay Company,
  and bought Ruperts Land (including Red River),
  renaming the entire region the North-West
  Territories. Neither the Canadians nor the
  British, however, had bothered consulting the
  Metis at any time.

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Seeking SovereigntyThe Red River Rebellion

• The Canadian government started making plans to
  survey the land so that white settlers could move
  in.
• The Metis didnt want this, so they organized
  themselves named a leader from among them (Louis
  Riel) and formed a provisional (temporary)
  government for themselves.

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Seeking SovereigntyThe Red River Rebellion

• Led by Riel, the Metis demanded several things
  from the federal government, including

• the right to enter Confederation as a province
• the right to be represented in Parliament
• the right to have both English and French as
  official languages in their schools and courts
• the right to control their own local affairs
• the right to maintain their traditional way of
  life

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Seeking SovereigntyThe Red River Rebellion

• English-Canadians didnt like the Metis
  provisional government, so in the winter of
  1869-70, a group of them tried to take control of
  it.

• One of the them (Thomas Scott) was captured by
  the Riel and the Metis, found guilty of
  conspiracy, and executed

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Seeking SovereigntyThe Red River Rebellion

• Prime Minister Macdonald was scared of the
  instability in the region, and was worried that
  it would leave Canada vulnerable to the United
  States.
• He negotiated with the Metis and allowed the Red
  River colony to become part of Canada as the
  province of Manitoba in 1870.
• He also promised that
• They would have an elected assembly
• English and French would be recognized as
  official languages
• The Metis would receive title (official claim) to
  their lands
• The Metis would receive additional lands.

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Seeking SovereigntyThe Red River Rebellion

• English-Canadians wanted revenge for the
  execution of Thomas Scott, however, so they
  demanded that Macdonald do something about it
• Macdonald sent 1200 troops to Red River to take
  control of the new province
• The members of the provisional government went
  into hiding, and Riel fled to the United States

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Seeking SovereigntyThe North-West Rebellion

• About 14 years later (in 1884), Riels buddies
  who are now seeing more and more English-speaking
  white settlers move into their territory
  convince him to come back and be their leader
  again

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Seeking SovereigntyThe North-West Rebellion

• Riel then launches a series of attacks on the
  North-West Mounted Police, resulting in 40
  deaths.
• Macdonald sends in more troops, and after a 6
  week standoff at Batoche (in present-day
  Saskatchewan), the Metis finally surrender.

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Seeking SovereigntyThe North-West Rebellion

• Riel is tried for treason in front of an
  all-white jury.

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Seeking SovereigntyThe North-West Rebellion

• He is found guilty
• and hanged.

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http//www.youtube.com/watch?vfnHRRl_up34