The Significance of the North West Rebellion

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First Nations
The significant societal, economical, and political changes of the First Nations tend to be overlapping and correlational. As political maintenance declines the economy declines, and as the economy declines society crumbles and quality of life declines. While issues in one area cause issues in others it becomes hard to separate what can be solved politically vs. societally. All issues, either with society or politics, cause damage to the First Nations economic situation creating gaping issues with society such as health issues, famine, sheltering, and education.
The political consequences of the Rebellion for the First Nations were burdening starting with the conviction of Poundmaker and Big Bear, continuing the with public hangings of eight First Nations people, and ending with legal shackles meant to keep the people without the ability to fight for themselves or have a voice. By many accounts Poundmaker was the leader of the political attempts to help his people, the Cree, and ensure the government upholds their end of the treaty, stating and proving time and again during the Rebellion that he did not want or support violence. He even claimed that any violence was against their cause. #source*. Poundmaker refused Riel’s offer to fight, but became involved because his tribe was ambushed in the night by the Police and had to defend themselves. In an interview with General Middleton Poundmaker reputed that he was not a part of the planned Rebellion and any fighting they did was in defence of the women and children, points and evidence which are repeatedly rejected by General Middleton. (pg 385/386 mulvany). The entire trial became a witch hunt, where anyone found to associate with the Rebellion is convicted of treas...

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...North West, Ottawa, July 7th 1885." Ottawa: s.n. Ottawa, July 7.
McCoy, Ted. 2009. "Legal Ideology in the Aftermath of Rebellion: The Convicted First Nations Participants, 1885." Histoire Sociale/ Social History 42 (82): 175-201.
Mulvany, Charles. 1885. The History of the North-West Rebellion of 1885: Comprising a Full and Impartial Account of the Origin and Progress of the War...Scenes in the Field, the Camp, and the Cabin; Including a History of the Indian tribes of North-western Canada. Toronto: A.H. Hovey.
1900. North West Rebellion Col. Denison Throws New Light on the Rising of how 1885 How Batoche Was Won The Late Colonel Williams Gallant Dash- Griecances of the Halfbreeds-- The Campaign Sharply Criticized. The Globe and Mail Division of Bell Globe Media Publishing.
Riel, Louis, and Thomas Flanagan. 1976. The Diaries of Louis Riel. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers.

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