The Trial Of Louis Riel Sparknotes

Louis Riel once said, "We must cherish our inheritance. We must preserve our nationality for the youth of our future. The story should be written down to pass on". Louis was born on October 22, 1844 in the Red River settlement,Manitoba.His father,Sr. Louis Riel, a businessman and political leader in the Métis community, organized a large Métis resistance to the Hudson’s Bay Company fur-trading monopoly at the trial of Pierre-Guillaume Sayer in 1849. This likely influenced his son who was sent at an early age to study priesthood. However, after the death of his father Louis returned to Red River. He was soon involved in the Red River Rebellion and the North west Rebellion. He was also responsible for leading two Métis governments against Canada and also known for bringing Manitoba into Confederation. Louis

Riel’s counsel defended Him on the grounds of insanity, pointing to the time he spent in asylums in the late 1870s. However, Riel wished to pursue a claim of self-defence instead, arguing that Métis actions in both 1870 and 1885 were justifiable. Repeatedly at odds with his lawyers throughout the proceedings, Riel ended his trial with an eloquent speech that systematically dismantled his lawyers’ insanity-defence strategy and ensured he would hang. The the jury recommended clemency, none was forthcoming since the only person who could grant it was the Prime minister. The Prime Minister was facing an election and needed the Ontario support to win. The Ontario hated Louis Riel because of the death of Thomas Scott so the Prime Minister dismissed the request. Riel was executed on a public gallows in Regina on 16 November 1885. His body was transported to Saint-Boniface, where his remains were taken to the cathedral’s cemetery at the head of a massive procession made up of the leaders of French Manitoba. The dream of a Métis nation died with Louis