The Red River Settlement (1860-

1870)

Horizons Ch. 4

1860-1870 brought many changes to the Red River Region…

Many people immigrated to the region Canada became a Dominion (1867) The HBC began to decline in power

Most noticeable change? Many “Canadians” moving into the Red River Valley looking for areas to settle and farm Red River had rich soil and a small population

The “Canadians” were mostly English and Protestant and members of the “Orange Order”, a violent anti-Catholic, anti-French movement

They were prejudiced vs. the Metis – inferior Tensions increased in the RR settlement

One of the first immigrants – Dr. John Schultz Didn’t actually practice medicine Took over the General Store and Newspaper –

used the news to spread anti-Metis ideas and editorials

Started the “Canadian Party” in the hopes of gaining control of the Red River area

Economic problems in the 1860’s also increased tensions in the area – crop failures, bison disappearing from the prairies, less fur trade…

As well, although the Metis had lived in the area for decades, they had never made a legal claim to the territory so they did not “own” it

When the Fathers of Confederation wrote the

BNA Act, they included provisions to add other colonies and territories such as Rupert’s Land

The HBC also wanted to sell Rupert’s Land: Hard to maintain control over the large area Fur trade was declining More and more settlers moving there

The Purchase of Rupert’s Land

So, negotiations began between Canada and HBC in 1867-68 to transfer control of the region

The HBC did not consult the people who lived in the Red River Settlement…this concerned the Metis!

In 1868, surveyors from the Dominion of Canada arrived in the Red River Settlement to start laying out the grids of townships

The surveyors assumed the people did not own the land they also did not recognize the seigneurial pattern of farms that had existed since the 1820’s

In 1868 Louis Riel also returned to the Red River

He was a Metis, lawyer, bilingual, great speaker and assumed a leadership role in the community

The final agreement on the purchase was reached in 1869:

Rupert’s Land was joined with the Northwestern Territory and Canada doubled in size

HBC got $1.5 million, 2.8 million hectares of prairie farmland and the right to continue the fur trade as a monopoly in the are