Establishment &

Development of the HBC

Ms. Garcha
Social Studies 10
Task Please answer the following
using P. 148 154 H
1) How did scarcity play a role in merging the HBC and
Northwest Co?

2) Why did Britain force a merger between the HBC and

Northwest CO?

3) Who was George Simpson & what impact did he have

on the HBC? (From Ms. Garcha)

4) Peace was maintained from 1820s 1860s in the Red

River Valley. What were some ways that the Metis
contributed to the economy?

5) Define free trade. How did free trade affect the HBC
and the Red River Settlement?
Questions about the battles b/w the
Northwest Co. & the HBC
1) How did scarcity play a role in merging the HBC
and Northwest Co?
There were not enough furs in the Northwest to justify full-
scale operations by the 2 companies

2) Why did Britain force a merger between the HBC

and Northwest CO?
Britain forced the merger to prevent further fighting which
would affect its control over the area if both companies failed
Questions Continued
3) Who was George Simpson & what impact did
he have on the HBC?
The new head of operations for the HBC. He decided
where forts would exist by keeping in existence forts
that were profitable & closing down forts not making $$
for the HBC.
Questions Continued
4) Peace was maintained from 1820s 1860s in
the Red River Valley. What were some ways that
the Metis contributed to the economy?
Farmed
Hunted bison to provide pemmican & hides
Worked as labourers, ex. As crew on York boats, or as
HBC clerks
Questions continued
5) Define free trade. How did free trade affect the
HBC and the Red River Settlement?
Free trade: system of trade that is not regulated by govt
or tariffs
HBC did not want anyone to trade independently but
more Metis believed they had a right to trade freely.
When Pierre Guilaume Sayer (Metis man charged w
illegal trading) went to trial, he was found not guilty
HBC had to allow free trade
Notes 1860 1870 in Red River Area
Ppl moving from Canada West to Red River bc growing
pop had taken up good farmland in Canada West. This
led to racial tension:
New colonists Protestant & Orange Order members
(anti- French, anti- Catholic movement)
French Metis living there discriminated against bc
they were French & Catholic
English- speaking Metis, many were Protestant, were
discriminated against bc of their Aboriginal heritage
1860 1870s notes continued
Economic problems in 1860s furthered tension bc:
- crop failures
- bison hunts less successful than in earlier years
- HBC losing interest in the area bc it was too expensive
to run
 1860 1870s Notes Fun Fact: Land Surveyorswork with engineers,
architects and builders to produce precise descriptions
of land

After Confederation, Cdn govt & HBC negotiated the

transfer of Ruperts Land (no one told ppl living in Red
River)
Govt sent surveyors to survey area. Surveyors
assumed that farms of the Metis were not legally owned
Ppl angry that HBC sold Ruperts Land without
consulting them & that the surveyors were ignoring
their rights
Red River
Resistance/ Red
River Rebellion:
events leading to
Metis attempt to
achieve recognition
of their rights &
1860s 1870s notes cont..
Louis Riel = Metis lawyer & leader of Red River
Resistance/ Red River Rebellion
Riel & some supporters told surveyors they were
trespassing & one Metis stood on the surveyors chain,
stopping their work
Following week, Riel formed the National Metis
Committee to fight for Metis rights, including the right
to their land
The Provisional Government
National Metis Committee occupied Fort Garry, seizing
weapons & ammunition. Riel & Metis were determined
to fight, if necessary for their rights, but had no
intention of rebelling against govt. They were not
opposed to Confederation, as long as rights of Red River
ppl were protected
Riel set up provisional govt to maintain order and give
ppl of Red River power to negotiate an agreement to
enter Confederation
Riel Takes Action
Riel feared that Cdn govt was armed & prepared to take
control of Red River In 1869, he acted first by arresting
& detaining John Schultz (newspaper owner, anti- Metis)
& 48 of his supporters at Fort Garry
John A. Macdonald sent Donald Smith (senior in HBC) to
negotiate w Riel Riel & Smith agreed provisional govt
should send negotiators to Ottawa
Meanwhile (1860 1870 notes)
Meanwhile, Schultz & many men escaped prison.
They tried to free the remaining prisoners but
Metis captured them, including man (Thomas
Scott) that Riel later executed for treason
While many regretted the execution of Scott, it
marked the end of the threat of war b/w metis &
Cdn govt Metis & members of Cdn party went
to Ottawa to negotiate creating province of
Manitoba
1870 Manitoba Created
John Schultz reached Ottawa b4 Metis & depicted
death of Scott as Protestant martyr, cruelly murdered
by Riel = wave of violent anti- French, anti- Catholic,
& anti- Metis hysteria
Macdonald sent militia to Red River, to keep peace
until transfer of power to prov govt was complete &
told them not to treat Riel & his followers as a legit
govt even though he admitted Riel was leader of a
legit govt the year b4..
Riel fled area b4 militia arrived, he feared his life was
in danger. Eventually all members of provisional govt
were granted an amnesty (pardon 4 political charges) by Cdn govt -
all except Riel, who remained in exile in the United
States.
 Why do you think Thomas Scotts execution
was so controversial? Refer to P. 158 160
if needed.

The execution of Thomas Scott was done by an

unelected committee
The execution was not necessary when Scott was being
held in jail
Scott was white so his execution was seen as a racial/
hate crime by other whites
 Debate: Should capital punishment exist in a society?

The #1s are arguing that: Capital punishment

should exist in a society (use examples stating
that the execution of Thomas Scott was
justified)
The #2s are arguing that: Capital punishment
should not exist in a society (use examples
stating the execution of Thomas Scott was not
justified)
You may use past & present examples during
this debate for a check plus, you should refer
to Thomas Scott in at least one of your
comments