Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
In Rupert’s Land – Prior to Confederation
Overview (p. 52)
1. First nations – before European settlement, approximately 30, 000 to 40, 000 First
Nations people lived between the Great Lakes and the Rocky Mountains. Review
of Woodland Cree and Siksika
2. Woodland Cree – lived in small family groups in northern woodlands. They met
all of their needs from the environment
3. The Siksika – culture was based on following migrating herds of buffalo across
the broad plains
4. Contact with fur traders – contact with fur traders of HBC and NWC influence the
ways of life of Cree and Siksika
5. 1812 – Lord Selkirk was given a land grant known as Assiniboina
6. 1840’s – about 4000 Metis lived in the Red River area. Metis are of mixed first
Nation and European ancestry.
Cultural Contact (p.55)
- Rupert’s land was a large territory granted to HBC by King Charles II of England
- from 1670 – 1869 HBC had right to control trading north and west of Great Lakes
- 2 First Nations important in fur trade were Cree and Siksika
- late 1700’s – early 1800’s few Europeans and lives of First Nations were affected by
goods acquired through trade and by demands for land and other resources
- changes in the environment affected ways of life for everyone in Rupert’s Land
- early Europeans found survival difficult
- First Nations shared info about trapping, environment and travel routes
- First Nations supplied most of the food for the forts and were the major labour force in
the fur trade.
- in xchange for help, First Nations received European goods (guns, blanket, metal
containers)
- intermarriage between first Nations and Europeans and languages were learned along
with culture and hunting
Woodland Cree (p. 56)
Environmental Interaction
- an Algonquin speaking people
- lived in a land of forests, rock, muskeg, rivers and streams
- believed in interconnectedness of all things and lived in harmony with nature
- big game hunters (moose, caribou, deer and bear)
- lived in small family groups since small game could not support a large family
- families moved often to find new food sources
- men hunted ducks/geese/lg. game
- women gathered plants (food, medicine) and snared rabbits
- homes were temporary structures made of hides or bark over a frame
- lives closely tied to the seasons
- winter – lived in small groups
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Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
- summer – larger communities for hunting and fishing
- also time for group decisions, celebrations and ceremonies
- spirituality was part of everyday life
- all parts of Earth were made by Creator and connected (spider web)
- SACRED – holy, having high spiritual value and given great respect
- Elders were respected and taught children the stories, history and values of the
people and as advisors to adults
- elders taught trust, loving others, honesty, sharing, kindness, obedience and
respect for all living things
- Cree were active traders
- built canoes for travel on rivers/lakes
- trading season was in the summer since waterways were open
- trading groups would travel great distances before rejoining their families
- would trade for corn, tobacco, birch bark, wild rice and maple sugar with surplus
furs
- acted as go-betweens for HBC and fur traders
- controlled trade for HBC until HBC moved further inland
- most lived in a traditional lifestyle and met their needs from the environment
The Siksika (p. 58)
Environmental Interaction
- speak an Algonquian language
- culture was based on following migrating herds of buffalo on the plains
- hunted buffalo
- traveled great distances following buffalo, therefore needed homes and
possessions that were light enough to move
- winter – lived in small family groups at foothills of the Rocky Mtns.
- spring/summer – came together in large groups for buffalo hunting
-before horses, they would chase buffalo over cliffs or into a pound
- were careful to treat buffalo with respect, but waste would occur especially at
buffalo jumps where it was difficult to control the # of animals killed
Refer to p. 58 – Every part of the buffalo was used.
- teepees made of buffalo/deer hides and wood obtained at foothills
- used travois to carry burdens
- wore clothing made of animal skins sewn with sinew
- used resources found in environment for tools
- knowledge was passed from generation to generation
- did not believe in private ownership of land
- everything on land was sacred and made by Great Spirit or Creator
- believed in sharing and cooperation which was vital to survival
- children learned from adults etc.
- men were hunters and warrior
- belief that nature was treated with respect and balanced
- circle was important representing circle of life
- elders were highly respected and gave spiritual advice
- followed a consensus model of decision making
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Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
- group decisions made by everyone were respected by everyone
- chiefs spoke for bands
Homework. P. 57 Q1 (6 marks) P. 59 Q1 (6 marks)
The Metis (p. 60)
Origins of the Metis
- had their roots in marriages of English or Scottish or French men with First
Nations women
- had varied backgrounds
- most of them spoke either English or French and at least one First Nations
language
- some boys were educated in cities of BNA or in France or in Great Britain
- girls learned ways of first nations ancestor
- honoured spiritual belief of both parents
- many of the Metis children were assimilated into culture of their parents
- distinct culture developed as Metis intermarried and passed on their way of life
- fur trade and buffalo hunt were keys parts of the way of life
At Red river
- place where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet was a gathering place for
Aboriginal peoples
- communal buffalo hunts, trading activities and meetings between related First
Nations occurred for many years
- 1700’s fur trade expanded in what is now Manitoba
- Metis followed buffalo herds or went on trading expeditions
- many Metis settled at Red River building semi-permanent homes or starting
small farms
- no land owning system, therefore could not apply to register small farms
- lived on land since there was plenty of room
- both HBC and NWC established fur trade posts at Red River
Making a Living
- Metis supported themselves in different ways
1. worked at fur trade posts as labourers, interpreters and company clerks
2. hunters, trappers or on the York boats that transported trade goods, furs
3. freighters in brigades of Red River carts
4. women worked to supply pemmican
5. trapped and hunted independently
6. farmers
7. summer – lived in teepees or near fur trade posts: winter – lived in log
cabins
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Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
Annual Buffalo Hunt
- important part of Metis life and major source of food
- hunters rode horses and families traveled in Red River carts until
a herd was sighted
- each man would kill from 2 – 5 buffalo on each run as buffalo
stampeded past
- women skinned buffalo and cut them up
- meat was dried and used to make pemmican
- surplus pemmican was traded
Metis Farms
- did not use block method of dividing land used in Ont/PQ
- were usually 3km long strips and had 100m frontage on rivers
- roads were uncommon
- Metis grew barley and root vegetables in gardens near log cabins
- often kept oxen and horses
Clothing
- wore a combination of European and First Nations clothing
- leather and fabric were both used
- men wore capotes (wool coats with hoods), woven trousers and
shirts, often carried brightly beaded bags of their shoulders
- women wore woven cotton or wool dresses, shawls over dresses
- footwear was usually moccasins
- clothing was usually decorated with beadwork, embroidery and
bright woven sashes
Homework. .P. 61 Q1 all parts (10 marks, 2 marks each part)
Refer to painting on p. 62/63 and be able to identify all the activities that are taking place
The Red River Settlement(p. 64)
Lord Selkirk
- Scottish nobleman wanted to help crofters of Scotland
- CROFTERS – Scottish person who cultivates a farm
- wool was fetching a high price, so the landowners thought they would make
more money by raising sheep on the land
- Lord Selkirk asked the British gov’t for a land grant in the RRV (Red River
Valley)
- British gov’t had given a grant to HBC already
- Lord Selkirk and Alexander Mackenzie bought enough shares to gain control of
HBC to gain control of the company
- this allowed Selkirk to control 300 000 square kilometers in Rupert’s Land in
the Red and Asiniboine River areas
- this area also stretched in part of the USA (refer to map. P.64)
- Selkirk also wanted to stop the NWC from competing for furs in the region
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Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
- Nor’westers (people who worked for the NWC) relied on Metis for pemmican
and other provisions
- route of the Nor’westers ran through the RR region
Selkirk’s First Settlers
- late in 1811, about 80 Scottish settlers arrived at York Factory (an HBC
trading post)
- spent a difficult winter, endured homesickness, were poor and suffered
from scurvy
- in spring (1812), they set out to go to RRV and arrived in August of
1812
- arrived too late to plant cops and endured another difficult winter
- survived mainly due to the generosity of the Saulteaux and provisions of
the Metis
Selkirk’s Second Settlers
- spring of 1813, Lord Selkirk sent another group of settlers from Scotland
- included first group of European women
18 women over the age of 15, one girl and 11 children under the age of 8
- one woman actually gave birth on the ship during a storm in Hudson Bay
Homework: Summarize Lord Selkirk, Marie-Anne Lagemodiere and Catherine
McPherson (p. 65)
Conflict (p. 66)
- Assiniboina was formed from the lands granted to HBC
- Assiniboina was on the major transportation routes and in the midst of the trading
territory used by the NWC
- Nor’westers thought that HBC was trying to block pemmican supplies which would
disrupt trading practices
- Metis and First Nations were afraid that the settlers (farmers) would interfere with the
hunting of buffalo
- Nor’westers were concerned that if Metis couldn’t hunt buffalo, pemmican supplies
would not be as readily available
- many Metis were farmers but had no legal rights or title to the land that they had farmed
for generations
- Nor’westers warned Metis that they could lose their land to the settlers who would
likely receive legal title
- conditions for RR settlers were harsh
- Miles Macdonell (governor of RR) was worried that settlers would starve
- Jan 1814, Pemmican Proclamation – no food could be taken from Assiniboina without a
license
- only Governor Macdonnell could issue license
- affected Metis since sale of pemmican dropped and they lost income
- Metis felt that Governor Macdonell had no right to pass laws
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Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
- Metis began to destroy settlers’ crops and attacked Fort Douglas in the RRS
- 1815 only 60 settlers remained
Incident at Seven Oaks
- young Metis named Cuthbert Grant was a captain of the Metis
- 1814, was actively involved in driving settlers out of the RRS
- 1816, Grant, group of Metis met new governor (Robert Semple) near a grove of
trees called Seven Oaks
- at the end, 1 Metis and 21 settlers including Semple were dead
- remaining settlers abandoned settlement to the Metis
- following year, Selkirk arrived himself b ringing 90 Swiss and German soldiers
called the de Meurons to take control
- many settlers did return after merger of HBC and NWC in 1821
Merger of HBC and NWC
- merger brought many changes in the RR region
- since the 2 companies were no longer competing, the places where each had
built a fort were closing.
- fewer workers were needed, so men were out of work
- fewer provisions were needed so pemmican trade also declined
- the farms eventually began to fill needs of workers instead of buffalo hunt and
pemmican trade
- HBC now had a monopoly in the region, so they could pay lower prices for furs
Summarize Cuthbert Grant and Pierre Falcon (p. 67)
Read pages. 68 – 69.
Homework: Make a chart using the 5 individuals/groups on page 68 to illustrate the
changes that are taking place. Use the chapter to help fill in blanks.
Music assignment: Listening to Celtic music and First Nations music, use a Venn
diagram to illustrate similarities and differences.
Now listen to Metis music and compare that music to Celtic and First Nations
music.
How does the Metis music appear the same? How does it appear different?
You may use a chart, web etc. to discuss your findings.
Ensure that you discuss topics such as rhythm, melody, words and subject matter.
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Gr. 8 History notes. Chapter 2
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