Metis and Sioux Wars

## **Red River Rebellion**

The 1st of the 3 native American-Canadian wars was the Red River Rebellion led by the Metis a mixed French-Native American group centered on modern day Manitoba. This all started when the anti-french McDougall was elected Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories. Louis Riel who unlike other Metis received a formal education and on October 16th 1869 they formed the Metis National Committee to represent their interests. Two resistance groups were formed one by Louis Riel and the other by William Dease. When the local government called Riel to explain himself he said if any attempt by McDougall to enter the Red River colony would be blocked unless the Canadians and the Metis worked together on terms. 400 men stormed Fort Garry and took it and they suddenly realized this was like the Great Manitoban Raid. 47 men were captured in Fort Garry and 1 was executed. The Canadian Militia stormed Fort Garry and the Government came to Riel’s terms and allowed the Native Metis to have land rights in Manitoba. In 1875 Riel was kicked out of Canada for 5 years where he spent his life in Northern California and Riel was elected to Parliament 3 times while in exile but never took it.

## **North West Rebellion**

In 1885 Louis Riel returned to Canada and this time he was not happy. After the Red River Rebellion many Metis went to the Fort Carlton Region. The Cree another Native American group led the Frog Lake Massacre and the Siege of Fort Battleford in which the Metis had nothing to do with it. But the Lieutenant-Governor publicly claimed the Cree and the Metis were working together. This time it would not be as easy to uprise since the Canadians have a brand new Railway to ship troops over. 160-200 Metis and others defeated a small Canadian police regiment of 90. The government sent 3,000 troops to deal with the revolt, and another 2,000 signed up to help them. The Cree would destroy Fort Pitt, and in April 200 Metis won against 900 Canadian troops defeating them. In May General Middleton focused on Batoche itself where the Metis ran out of bullets and surrendered after 3 days of siege and battle. The Canadians defeated the Cree in Loon lake as well, finally ending the revolt. Louis Riel was tried and found guilty and was hanged by the Government which sparked controversy between the English and French speaking Canadians.

## **Bighorn Rebellion**

In 1876 gold was discovered a bit later than real life in the Black Hills which caused an influx of white immigrants to the Dakotas and Montana. The Government offered to buy the land from the Sioux but they declined and then the Government just took it anyway from them and gave it to the Lakota Sioux, a different tribe. Colonel George Custer, a veteran of the 2cd Anglo-Spanish war were sent into the main encampment of the Lakota tribe and their allies in which Custer was killed and surrounded by. But later the Government sent 900 troops which crushed the Lakota tribe in a massacre. The Sioux after being kicked off their land wandered around the Great Plains when they finally went to Hardin, Montana and settled down in 1885. The Sioux declared open revolt after the massacre and was later crushed by the Canadian government after not getting very far, while Sitting Bull was killed in 1886.