TROUBLE ATTROUBLE ATRED RIVERRED RIVER

October, 1869October, 1869

Red River Colony, CanadaRed River Colony, Canada

CANADA: 2008CANADA: 2008

THE RED RIVER REBELLIONTHE RED RIVER REBELLION

A stand off between Canadian A stand off between Canadian surveyors and Metissurveyors and Metis

Surveying: the science or work of Surveying: the science or work of making land surveysmaking land surveys

Survey: to examine or consider in detail Survey: to examine or consider in detail or comprehensively, to determine the or comprehensively, to determine the location, form or boundaries of a tract location, form or boundaries of a tract of land, gathering information and of land, gathering information and analyzing itanalyzing it

PRELUDEPRELUDE At confederation in 1867, Canada was a At confederation in 1867, Canada was a

relatively small nation, containing only relatively small nation, containing only four of the provinces which are now part four of the provinces which are now part of a much bigger country. of a much bigger country.

In 1869, Canada bought Rupert’s Land In 1869, Canada bought Rupert’s Land (the vast lands that include the (the vast lands that include the Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, Nunavut, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nunavut, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta) from the Hudson’s Bay parts of Alberta) from the Hudson’s Bay Company (which had been established Company (which had been established by the British).by the British).

CANADA: 1870CANADA: 1870

ALL SALES FINAL?ALL SALES FINAL?

The sale of these vast lands was not The sale of these vast lands was not official until December of 1869, official until December of 1869, meaning that the Canadian government meaning that the Canadian government did not actually have the official right to did not actually have the official right to rule over these lands. rule over these lands.

Excited about all this new land, the Excited about all this new land, the government sent a group of surveyors government sent a group of surveyors to go and examine this newly acquired to go and examine this newly acquired area of territory in October 1869. area of territory in October 1869.

GUESS WHAT?GUESS WHAT? Some people ALREADY live on the land Some people ALREADY live on the land

that the Government has purchased!that the Government has purchased!

“Get your own tots!”

“Well, I didn’t get any buffalo today, just wood”

LIKE WHO?LIKE WHO? Like the Metis! (That’s pronounced Like the Metis! (That’s pronounced

MAY-TEE, not MET-IS) and a certain MAY-TEE, not MET-IS) and a certain man named Louis Riel (again, that’s man named Louis Riel (again, that’s LOU-EE REE-AL, not LOU-IS REEL)LOU-EE REE-AL, not LOU-IS REEL)

LIFE BEFORE MSN & FACEBOOKLIFE BEFORE MSN & FACEBOOK Could John A. MacDonald send out an E-mail Could John A. MacDonald send out an E-mail

to let everyone in Rupert’s Land know that to let everyone in Rupert’s Land know that they were now living on Canadian soil? Of they were now living on Canadian soil? Of course not! course not!

Back then, it took a very long time for news Back then, it took a very long time for news to travel from place to place, especially to travel from place to place, especially secluded little outposts in the middle of secluded little outposts in the middle of nowhere like the Red River Settlement. nowhere like the Red River Settlement.

Even a “noble steed” galloping as fast as Even a “noble steed” galloping as fast as possible would still take weeks to get all the possible would still take weeks to get all the way to the Red River to tell everyone the way to the Red River to tell everyone the news so they could understand the situation.news so they could understand the situation.

A BUFFALO A DAY…A BUFFALO A DAY… Imagine you and your Metis buddies, Imagine you and your Metis buddies,

who have just had an exciting day who have just had an exciting day hunting buffalo (“I got two buffalos hunting buffalo (“I got two buffalos today”) come back into town and find today”) come back into town and find out that a bunch of surveyors are on out that a bunch of surveyors are on YOUR land.YOUR land.

This land was never REALLY yours, but This land was never REALLY yours, but you still had no idea it had been sold you still had no idea it had been sold out from under you and now strange out from under you and now strange people claim that the government of people claim that the government of Canada will soon be in control of this Canada will soon be in control of this land.land.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? The Metis have been living on this land The Metis have been living on this land

for a very long time, and they are for a very long time, and they are worried that once the government worried that once the government controls their land, they will be controls their land, they will be assimilated into Canadian culture, lose assimilated into Canadian culture, lose all their rights and be forced to give up all their rights and be forced to give up their traditions under the rule of their traditions under the rule of Canada.Canada.

Assimilated: to absorb and Assimilated: to absorb and incorporate, digest, to make like or incorporate, digest, to make like or alikealike

A BIG MIS-UNDERSTANDING?A BIG MIS-UNDERSTANDING?

People hate change. They hate the People hate change. They hate the unknown, and they don’t like it when unknown, and they don’t like it when people mess with the status quo, people mess with the status quo, (especially when the status quo involves (especially when the status quo involves sitting around building red river carts sitting around building red river carts and hunting as many buffalo as you feel and hunting as many buffalo as you feel like) so the confusion is understandable like) so the confusion is understandable to a certain degree.to a certain degree.

Status Quo: the existing state of affairs Status Quo: the existing state of affairs (the way things are right now)(the way things are right now)

SURVEYORS & YOUSURVEYORS & YOU Surveyors are basically scientific type people Surveyors are basically scientific type people

who make maps and measurements of land to who make maps and measurements of land to determine the natural features and determine the natural features and landscapes in order to plan for future landscapes in order to plan for future development like roads, railways and other development like roads, railways and other structures. structures.

Wouldn’t you be a little mad if you planned a Wouldn’t you be a little mad if you planned a nice road from Ontario to Manitoba only to nice road from Ontario to Manitoba only to find there’s a mountain in the way? You find there’s a mountain in the way? You WOULD be, and you’d wish that you would WOULD be, and you’d wish that you would have surveyed that land because now you’ve have surveyed that land because now you’ve got a useless road to nowhere….good job!got a useless road to nowhere….good job!

Surveyors: Now & ThenSurveyors: Now & Then

Circa 1870: “I wonder how many trees are out here”

Circa 2008: “I wonder how many trees are left out here”

CLASS PARTICIPATION TIME!CLASS PARTICIPATION TIME!

Q: Do surveyors sound like violent Q: Do surveyors sound like violent people? people?

(Raise your hand if you think that (Raise your hand if you think that Surveyors are violent people)Surveyors are violent people)

Peaceful People?

Radioactive People?

OR

Soldiers can be violent Soldiers can be violent people. people.

Some pro wrestlers are Some pro wrestlers are violent people. violent people.

Master Chief in Halo is a Master Chief in Halo is a violent person.violent person.

Surveyors are generally not Surveyors are generally not violent, unless you steal their violent, unless you steal their compasses and even then I compasses and even then I wouldn’t expect much violent wouldn’t expect much violent reaction from themreaction from them

A Quick Comparison

Soldiers: violent

Master Chief: violent

John A. MacDonald: A FORGETFUL MANJohn A. MacDonald: A FORGETFUL MAN

on October 11th 1869, a crew of on October 11th 1869, a crew of surveyors arrives at what is now part of surveyors arrives at what is now part of present day Manitoba. They are armed present day Manitoba. They are armed only with binoculars, maps, and a hard only with binoculars, maps, and a hard work ethic. work ethic.

The first person they meet is a man The first person they meet is a man named named Andre NaultAndre Nault, who is a member , who is a member of the Metis. Andre speaks French, the of the Metis. Andre speaks French, the surveyors speak English, and neither surveyors speak English, and neither understands a word of what the other understands a word of what the other was saying. was saying.

DAZED & CONFUSEDDAZED & CONFUSED To really understand what happens next, you To really understand what happens next, you

have to put yourselves in the shoes of Andre have to put yourselves in the shoes of Andre Nault who is totally confused. Andre knows Nault who is totally confused. Andre knows only THREE things at this point:only THREE things at this point:

1. These strange people are on my land, I 1. These strange people are on my land, I can’t understand anything they say.can’t understand anything they say.

2. I have never seen any of these tools before, 2. I have never seen any of these tools before, maybe these are spaceship people carrying maybe these are spaceship people carrying weird lasers (binoculars) and big pictures with weird lasers (binoculars) and big pictures with funny shapes (maps).funny shapes (maps).

3. I had better get some of my 3. I had better get some of my friends to help me, I need help!friends to help me, I need help!

Andre NaultAndre Nault, , Circa 1869Circa 1869

HELP IS ON THE WAY!HELP IS ON THE WAY! Realizing point #1 and #2, our friend Realizing point #1 and #2, our friend

Andre mounts his horse and sets off Andre mounts his horse and sets off for help (that’s point #3), leaving the for help (that’s point #3), leaving the surveyors there who are totally surveyors there who are totally confused. confused.

The surveyors have no idea what is The surveyors have no idea what is going to happen next, or where going to happen next, or where Andre went, so they start unloading Andre went, so they start unloading their equipment and begin surveying their equipment and begin surveying the land around them.the land around them.

WAS LOUIS RIEL “EXTRA”?WAS LOUIS RIEL “EXTRA”? Shortly thereafter, Andre returns with a Shortly thereafter, Andre returns with a

group of 16 Metis, one of whom is Louis group of 16 Metis, one of whom is Louis Riel. I suspect Louis Riel always Riel. I suspect Louis Riel always proclaimed himself captain in gym class proclaimed himself captain in gym class when they made teams, because he when they made teams, because he immediately took control of the immediately took control of the situation. situation.

Since Riel understood and spoke Since Riel understood and spoke English, he was able to talk with the English, he was able to talk with the Canadian surveyors. Riel steps on a Canadian surveyors. Riel steps on a piece of their equipment and says “you piece of their equipment and says “you go no farther”.go no farther”.

Why Can’t We Be Friends?Why Can’t We Be Friends? This is what sets off the whole Red River This is what sets off the whole Red River

Rebellion, and without knowing this part of Rebellion, and without knowing this part of the story, nothing makes any sense at all. the story, nothing makes any sense at all.

With these words, Louis Riel stepped into With these words, Louis Riel stepped into Canadian history and became leader of the Canadian history and became leader of the Metis people. Riel would speak for the Metis Metis people. Riel would speak for the Metis and was prepared to defend their rights. and was prepared to defend their rights.

The Red River uprising was about to begin. The Red River uprising was about to begin. You could call it a meleeYou could call it a melee

Melee: a confused fight or hand to hand Melee: a confused fight or hand to hand struggle among a number of peoplestruggle among a number of people

CreditsCredits The End.The End.

“Wondering what happens next at Red River? Find out next History Class, and be ready for a quiz at the end of the unit!”