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Northwest Rebellion Begins
- Metis gather at Batoche for the feast of St. Joseph
- Louis Riel makes a speech saying the NWMP want end the Metis movement.
- Provisional Government is prclaimed with Pierre Parteau as President.
- Events at Batoche drove away support of white settlers
- Aboriginal were mad because thhey weren't being helped to adjust to reservation life by the government
- Gabriel Dumont = military leader
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Period: to
Northwest Rebellion
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Duck Lake
- Metis attacked the Mounted Police forcing them to move to Prince Albert
- At the same time, Aboriginals attacked HBC in Battleford.
- Cree joined Riel's forces
- Killed one white settler
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Frog lake
(1885)
- Cree Chief Big Bear's men murder an Indian government employee and two missionaries.
- Aboriginals were so far unorganized; didn't know what they were doing
- Before the end of April Aboriginals took Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt
- Attacks were spontaneous
- At the same time, Canadian government got an army together and dispatched them to the West (8000 men commanded by General Frederick Middleton) -
Batoche Battle
- Riel's forces (~350 people) led by Dumont built trenches in defense of Batoche
- Middleton had 850 men under his oommand and attacked but not whole heartedly. This went on for 3 days.
- On May 12, (third day) Middleton's forced were annoyed with their commander's cautious approach and took matters into their own hands
- Metis fled into the woods
- Riel gave himself up on May 15
- Government wins this battle.
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Charges & Trial of Riel
- Charged with treason while in jail in Regina
- Entire jury was English and Protestant and Riel was Catholic and French
- Riel's lawyers tried to defend him on the grounds that he was insane
- He denied his lawyer's claims and stated that "I cannot deny my dignity"
- Sentenced to execution
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Riel Hanged
- Riel hanged in Regina