The document summarizes the causes of the Red River Rebellion led by Louis Riel and the Métis people in 1869-70. It discusses the threats to the Métis way of life from declining buffalo and failed crops, influx of settlers from Ontario, and the sale of Rupert's Land without consultation. Riel formed a provisional government to negotiate with Canada and protect Métis rights, but execution of prisoner Thomas Scott inflamed anti-Métis sentiments and led to Riel's exile despite concessions in the Manitoba Act.

1. Causes of the Rebellion
• Métis life threatened by the
disappearing Buffalo and failing
crops.
• Canadians (Orange Order)
moving into Red River.
• Land surveyors sent in and
ignored the seigneurial system.
• Rupert’s Land sold with NO
consultation.

2. Louis Riel
• Born in Red River
Settlement
• Educated in Montreal
• A lawyer and fluent in
both French & English

3. Louis Riel: Riel-ly Intense Guy
Don’t write down the quote
“He watches what’s happening around him
with the intense eyes of an osprey, sees
how more new Orange setters from
Ontario arrive every month, how the
Hudson’s Bay Company maneuvers in its
approaching deal with the Canadians
keeping vital information about the sale of
land that many feel isn’t even theirs a
secret from the Metis and the Indians.”
-- Joseph Boyden

4. Action!
Riel and a group of Métis stop surveyors.
Determined to force Gov. McDougall to
negotiate a fair deal for the people of Red
River.
No response from McDougall
(or Macdonald)

5. Action!
• Metis attack
Fort Garry.
• Symbolic and
Strategic.
• No bloodshed.

6. “Crazy, ignorant, Half-Breeds” – John A
Macdonald (yikes!)
• Riel forms Provisional Government (PG)
• Tries to work with Ottawa to negotiate terms…
• PG creates Métis List of Rights

7. Metis List of Rights
• elect their own legislature & pass laws
• approve Canadian laws that impact them
• seats in the Canadian Parliament
• English and French
as official languages
• Treaties between First Nations
and Canadian Gov.

8. The Canadian Party
• Wanted Canadian rule of Red River
(were racist Orange Order types)
• Actively organized to bring down PG.
• Both Scott and Schultz were arrested,
and escaped. Scott was recaptured …
Dr. Schultz
Thomas Scott

9. Scott was a racist, obnoxious prisoner.

10. Thomas Scott
• Tried for treason against the Metis Provisional
Government for threats on Riel’s life.
• Found guilty and executed on March 4, 1870

11. Thomas Scott
You don’t have to write down the quote. Just the
question at the bottom!
“Scott is one of those historical enigmas. Some believe he was a
martyr while others call him the "skin-head" of his day. Scott is
described by Lord Dufferin as being of "excitable temper and rough
ways” -George Siamandis
• What are 2 different understandings of Thomas Scott?

12. Anti-Métis Feelings
• Schultz used
Scott’s
execution to
rally support
against the
Métis in
Ontario.

13. Fall Out
Some Good
• April 1870 several points
in the Métis List of Rights
agreed on.
• Manitoba Act of May 2
1870 formed the
Province of Manitoba.
• Riel met his goal of
responsible government
Some Not So Good
• Riel exiled. Fled to the
United States
• Troops sent to “keep the
peace” by Macdonald
were anti-Métis and
violent.
• Anti-Metis feelings VERY
strong in Ontario.