1. The Selkirk Settlement

2. Selkrik Settlement/ Red River Valley
1812
300,000 km² land grant from HBC to be used for Scottish and Irish immigrants coming from Europe
Farming colony
Help grow and supply food to HBC Fur Traders
Colony experienced crop failure for the first 2 years
What implications/problems might this settlement cause?
-Profound implications/affects on the HBC, NWC, and Metis

3. The Pemmican Proclamation
HBC officials feared that crops might continue to fail
1814: Issued the Pemmican Proclamation
Banned the sale and export of pemmican from the Red River Valley
Intended to protect the colonists from starvation
Problem for the Metis Made a living off selling/trading pemmican
Angered NWC  Relied on pemmican to supply its fur traders
NWC could see that the HBC was using the Selkirk Settlement and Pemmican Proclamation as a way to get the NWC out of the area
Pemmican: Dried bison and berries  like a jerky
COMPETITION for trade in the area

4. NWC Strikes Back!
1814: NWC traders attack colonist in the Selkirk Settlement
Burn building
Destroy crops
Firing rifles
Inspires Metis to recognize their rights and fight for their land

5. The Battle of Seven Oaks
1816: A group of Metis raided several HBC York Boats on the Assiniboine River Took a large supply of Pemmican
Confronted by group of colonists and HBC employees
Gun fight began
20 colonists/HBC employees died
1 Metis died
Considered by some historians to be a defining moment in Metis history
Why?

6. Treaty Negotiation in the Red River Valley
1817: HBC negotiated a treaty with local Anishinabe and Cree Nations to lease the land along both the Assiniboine and Red Rivers
What is a treaty?
Agreement between two groups. Land treaty: Negotiated agreement about land use and control
“Selkirk Treaty – Indian Chart of Red River”

7. The Merger of the HBC and NWC
1821: HBC and NWC join into one company
Keep the name HBC
British Govt expanded the HBC’s land grant and trade monopoly (Rupert’s Land)
Why did they merge?
Both companies on the verge of bankruptcy
Not enough furs in the Northwest for both companies
Feared loss of control of the Northwest if both companies failed
Trade monopoly: full control of trade in an area. Priority to trade opportunities