THE NORTHWEST TO 1870

THE HUDSON’S BAY CO.

Founded by Radisson and Groseilliers. Granted Royal Charter - exclusive trade rights. ‘Stay by the Bay’ policy. Strict standards

little room for barter. Worked for salaries. Often had better quality goods. No booze and no fraternizing.

HUDSON’S BAY CO.RUPERT’S LAND

All lands drained by rivers flowing into Hudson’s Bay (1/3 Can.)

‘Made Beaver’ (MB)became commoncurrency.

Ice free ports from Julyto Sept. made trade swift and precise.

Mb in CanadaLike cigarettesIn prison.

THE THE NORTH WEST CONORTH WEST CO..

- French Can. Traders that went to the Natives.- Emerged from the ‘Montrealers’.- Worked on commission and were

much more aggressive.- Hiverants (wintering partners)

stayed in the Northwest.- Fraternizing more common and marriages occurred.

- Voyageurs (the muscle) paddled and transported the goods. - More willing to dicker and often used alcohol.

Ft. William - Main trading postFt. William Trading Post

THE NORTH WEST CO.

Fort William was established athead of Lake Superior. These headquarters also had to be timespecific as winter froze rivers.

The NWCo. moved inland and made trade easier for the Natives.Several inland posts were constructed.

TRANSPORTATIONYORK BOAT - HBCo. double ended wood boat. - carried up to 3-6000kiograms. - heavy & hard to portage. - 13 meters long / sail or paddle.

CANOTS DU NORD/MAITRE-NWCo. Canoes - 7-11m long.- up to 4000 kilograms.-Made of birch bark.-Smaller but more portable for portages. Canot du Maitre

Canot du Nord

THE NATIVE PEOPLES OF THE NORTHWEST

Home of four aboriginal nations. The Ojibwa, the Assiniboine, the Cree, and the

Chipewyan. The inuit were further north. Natives became so involved in the fur trade

that it disrupted their tradtional way of life. Became the ‘middle men’ of the fur trade. Contact with Europeans resulted in disease. Smallpox and

measles.

THE NATIVE PEOPLES OF THE NORTHWEST

The Assiniboin

The Chipewyan

THE BATTLE FOR THE FUR TRADE 1800-1810

HBCo. & NWCo. Fur trade battle grew fierce.

Furs become scarce & posts moved farther and farther inland (as far west as B.C.)

The “race” for the west was on.

THE METIS(French for ‘mixed’)

The NWCo. encouraged native/European marriages. It secured trading rights and helped hiverant’s lifestyle.

Many lived in the Red River Valley and combined both Native and European lifestyles. Buffalo hunts Pemmican

Sold to NWC Seigneurial land patterns Farmers

THE BUFFALO HUNTHIDE

BUFFALO CHIPS

TAIL

BLADDER .

SCROTUM

INTERNAL ORGANS

MARROW

HOOF/FOOT

BONE SINEW / MUSCLE

HAIR

HORN

SKULL

BRAIN

FAT

TEETH

TONGUE

BEARDMEAT

THE BUFFALO HUNTHIDE - blankets, robes, whips, saddles,Clothing, moccasins.

BUFFALO CHIPS -fuel.

TAIL - ceremonial ornamental.

BLADDER - Bags, pouches.

SCROTUM - rattles.

INTERNAL ORGANS - food, containers.

MEAT- Roasted - Boiled, dried.

MARROW- Food, Soup.

HOOF/FOOT Rattles, glue, spoons.

BONE - Clubs, arrowheads, foods, knives, ornaments.

SINEW / MUSCLEThread, Bow strings..

HAIR - Halters,Padding, head dress,ornaments.

HORN - Clubs, spoons, ornaments,Powder horns.

SKULL - ceremonial.

BRAIN - used for tanning.

FAT - soap.

TEETH - necklas ornaments.

TONGUEMeat.

BEARDOrnaments.

Where have all the bison gone??

Today

COLONY ON THE RED RIVER Enclosure brought Scottish farmers to

N. America. Selkirk was director of the HBCo. and

felt he could give Scottish farmers a home & supply HBCo. workers with food.

Convinced HBCo. to give him 300 000 sq. km. => Selkirk’s Grant.

Nobody even considered the people already living there.

Scottish Enclosures - farmers forced to leave, as land was more valuable for grazing sheep.

Selkirk

PROBLEMS FACED BY RED RIVER SETTLERS

Nobody even considered the people already living there.

Scottish not used to harsh winters. Macdonell’s farmers arrived too late to prepare for

winter. Farmers first crops were failures. Pemmican proclamation ordered to feed settlers. NWCo. retaliated against Pemmican proclamation.

HBCo. Settlers vs. NWCo. MetisThe confrontations escalated to the legendary “Battle of Seven Oaks”. Twenty one colonists and one Metis would die. It would bring the dispute to a full scale conflict.

Selkirk hired Swiss mercenaries to help return the settlers for a thirdTime and made a deal with the local First Nations to lease the land for 100 lbs of tobacco per year. Selkirk would later return to England and died while fighting several court cases regarding his Red River settlement.

Cuthbert Grant ledthe Metis in a fightto regain their land

The Merger of the HBC and the NWC (1821)

As the pelts declined the two fur trading companies had to merge => The Hudson’s Bay Company.

George Simpson was put in charge. He became known as the “Little

Emperor.” Social elitists => his new wife

refused to socialize with the locals.

Note - Simpson had his original Metis family removed before his new bride arrived- ‘Turn-Off’.

George Simpson

Frances Simpson

THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT 1821-1860For next 40 yrs.

peaceful & stable self-sufficient community.

By 1860, 80% ‘mixed’ descent.

Built around the needs of the HBC. To this day, Winnipeg St. is The

widest street in Can. It was built to fit ten “Red River Carts.”

Red River Cart

Red RiverRich Farm Land

“Le commerce est libre! Vivre la liberte”

By 1840, the Metis fought for the right to trade furs. Judge Adom Thom, found four Metis furtraders guilty of trading fur but ordered no sentence. The HBC’s monopoly had been broken.“Le commerce est libre! Vivre la liberte”“Business is open! Long live freedom

Adam Thom

CHANGES IN RED RIVER1860-1870

Canada became a dominion.

Canadians moved west to fertile soils of Red River. Most were protestant members of the Orange Order (anti-

French / anti-Catholic / anti-Metis).=> tensions rose. Dr. John Schultz angered Metis with his NorWester

Economic problems. Crop failures. Bison disappearing. HBC losing interest. Metis had no legal claim to land.Dr. John Schultz

Farmers start moving West(Most were protestant

anti-Fr.)

CANADA PURCHASES RUPERT’S LAND

CANADA PURCHASES RUPERT’S LAND MacDonald buys HBC Rupert’s Land, for his ‘sea to sea’ nation.

Became part of NW Territory. No one consults Metis farmers They have no ‘legal’ claim to the land.

In 1868, surveyors arrive to layout township grids. Seigneurial land patterns were not

recognized Land speculators soon follow the

surveyors. Tensions rose and Louis Riel takes

on leadership of the Metis.

Seigneurial land patternswere not recognized.

LOUIS RIEL

THE RED RIVER REBELLIONA. Riel began by forming the Metis National Committee

to fight for the Metis land. B. Riel then met with Governor McDougall but when

things did not Go well he took control and seized munitions from Fort Garry.

C. Riel established his “Provisional Government” to protect the Metis’ rights.

He wanted to negotiate and had no intentions of rebelling against Canada.

Riel’s Provisional Government

Sometimes the bestdefence is a good

offence.!! Munitions @ Ft Gary

THE REBELLION (cont.)Schultz led the anti-Metis Canadian Party.

Riel created the Metis List of Rights and set off to Schultz’s home where he captured andheld 48 of his followers at Fort Garry.

MacDonald refused to negotiate with “half breeds.”

Fort Garry

Schultz would escape, but while trying to freeother prisoners, several men,including Thomas Scott would be captured again.

Schultz

MacDonald

Thomas Scott

What would you do with Thomas Scott?

Riel’s Provisional Government

Thomas Scott

THE EXECUTION OF THOMAS SCOTT

While captive Thomas Scott was verballyand physically abusive & threatened the life of Riel.

On March 4, he would be executed by firing squad.

By March 9, Riel had talked to Ottawaand things seemed to settle as Canadawas ready to discuss a new provincefor the Metis.

Unfortunately, Schultz had made his way east and had made a martyr out of Thomas Scott. The Orange Order wasfurious and rallied around the execution.

Despite six shooters, Scott still lived and a seventh shot was needed.

Thomas Scott

MANITOBA CREATEDBy April, MacDonald was willing to compromise.

- 200 000 hectares of land for the Metis =>Manitoba.- Colonel Wolseley & 1200 men to sent to keep the

peace.-Riel and his men were not be recognized as an

official government.

Riel fled Canada for the USA and was banished from Canada for five years. His men would later be granted amnesty.

Manitoba 1870

Thomas Scott Execution Use your textbook Horizons 2nd Ed.

p. 157-163. Do Page 163 #4.You are a resident of the Red River Settlement in 1870. Thomas Scott was executed yesterday. In a poem, letter, cartoon, or picture, describe your feelings about this event. You could take the viewpoint of a Metis, a colonist, or a member of the Orange Order.  10 Marks