The colony on the red river:
In the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Northwest was only known by the Métis and those who worked in the fur trade. However, in order to create agricultural colonies for displaced farmers, a colony on the Red River was established. In 1810, Thomas Douglas, who was the Fifth Earl of Selkirk and a director of the HBC, had already established settlements in the Maritimes and in Upper Canada. Learning that the soil in the Red River Valley was very fertile, Selkirk wanted to create a farming colony where the displaced farmers would be able to start a new life. The produce would then benefit the HBC. In 1811, Selkirk was granted 300,000 square kilometres of land in what is now southern Manitoba and North Dakota. This was called the “Selkirk’s Grant”. This territory was part of Rupert’s Land, which was exclusive commercial domain of the Hudson's Bay Company named after Prince Rupert. As a result, Selkirk and the HBC believed they had a legal right to this territory. The economy of the settlement was built around the needs of the HBC, crops grown and produce sold to the HBC. Many people settled in the Red River Colony, and by 1821, the population was evenly divided between the Métis and country-born, and European settlers. By the end of the period, more than 80% of the population was of mixed descent. From the 1840s onwards, the population began to rapidly increase.
The Red River Settlement 1821 - 1860:
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In the 1860s, many people immigrated to the Northwest into the Red River Valley, which had rich soils and a small population. Most of the new Canadians who settled in the Red River were protestants and members of an aggressively anti-French and anti-Catholic movement, called the Orange Order. Viewing the Métis as inferior, they had extreme prejudices against the Métis. In 1860, Dr. John Christian Schultz arrived in the Red River. Hoping to gain control of the settlement, he developed a small group of supporters into the Canadian Party. He then took over the only newspaper in the settlement in which he voiced extreme hatred towards the Métis writing things such as “the Métis should either be driven from the country, or kept as cart drivers… the Métis, the indolent and the careless, like the native tribes of the country, will fall back before the march of superior intelligence.” Tension began to increase, and economic problems began to arise: crops began to fail and the bison disappeared.
Rupert’s Land, which was owned by the HBC, was purchased by Canada. Occupying a corner of Rupert’s Land, the colony of farmers, hunters, and Métis feared for their culture and land rights under the Canadian control. The Canadian government and the HBC discussed the control transfer of Rupert’s Land between 1867 and 1868. However, the HBC did not acknowledge or consult the citizens of the Red River Settlement, and dismissed their special interests. Before the official transfer had taken place, surveyors had already arrived in the Red River, planning out townships, moving in to divide up the land into agricultural sections. Seeing their traditional hunting grounds being taken over, the Métis began to feel distressed. By 1869, the HBC and the Canadian government came to an agreement. Joining the North-Western Territory in 1869, Rupert’s Land was renamed the North-West Territories. However, because the HBC sold Rupert’s Land without consulting them, anger rose up in the settlers and the Métis of the Red River. They were also angry at the surveyors, who laid out square townships without any regard of their traditional strip lots they owned.
Rupert’s Land, which was owned by the HBC, was purchased by Canada. Occupying a corner of Rupert’s Land, the colony of farmers, hunters, and Métis feared for their culture and land rights under the Canadian control. The Canadian government and the HBC discussed the control transfer of Rupert’s Land between 1867 and 1868. However, the HBC did not acknowledge or consult the citizens of the Red River Settlement, and dismissed their special interests. Before the official transfer had taken place, surveyors had already arrived in the Red River, planning out townships, moving in to divide up the land into agricultural sections. Seeing their traditional hunting grounds being taken over, the Métis began to feel distressed. By 1869, the HBC and the Canadian government came to an agreement. Joining the North-Western Territory in 1869, Rupert’s Land was renamed the North-West Territories. However, because the HBC sold Rupert’s Land without consulting them, anger rose up in the settlers and the Métis of the Red River. They were also angry at the surveyors, who laid out square townships without any regard of their traditional strip lots they owned.