1. The Red River Settlement 1821-1870

2. Between 1821 and 1860 the settlement developed peacefully
The population was a mix of Metis, Scottish settlers and French-Canadian settlers, First Nations and HBC employees

3. By 1860 more than 80% of the population was Metis
By 1860 more than 80% of the population was Metis. Some were of French background, others were of English descent
The economy depended on the HBC. The farmers sold their crops to the HBC, while the Metis sold pemmican and worked for the HBC.

5. In the 1860’s, people from Canada West began to try to get the West made into part of Canada. Settler began to arrive from Canada West (Ontario after Confederation)
New settlers in the Red River Settlement were often anti-French and anti-Catholic

6. Charles Shultz moved to the settlement in 1861
Charles Shultz moved to the settlement in He formed an anti-French, ant-Catholic party called the Canadian party
Aside from being against the French Metis, they also discriminated against the English-Metis because of their First Nations heritage

7. Shultz had his own newspaper, the Nor’Wester, which he used to spread his views
At the same time, the economy of the Settlement was going through a low period. Several crops failed and the HBC was doing less business in the area.

8. The government was run by a group called the Council of Assiniboia, made up of HBC officials and headed by the HBC governor.
In 1867 the government of Canada decided to buy Rupert’s Land from the HBC and build a road to the Red River Settlement. Neither the government nor the HBC asked the people of Red River how they felt about it.

10. In 1868 the government sent surveyors to measure the land in the colony. This worried the Metis, as they did not legally own the land.
In 1869 Rupert’s Land was sold to Canada. It was joined together with the North-Western Territory, with the entire area being known as the North-West Territories.