Territorial Evolution, 1886

Canada

After escaping to the United States in 1870, Louis Riel had returned to Manitoba in 1872, where he had won a by-election and later an election to the Canadian House of Commons in the federal riding of Provencher. But, he never took his seat, was formally expelled by the House and, in 1875, was exiled for ten years. In 1884, he was invited by his people, the Métis, to return to Canada to lead them. He agreed.

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Photograph of Fort Albany, Ontario

Riel organized a petition which made various demands for the Métis, Indian and white populations of the Northwest Territories. The government ignored his petition, so, just as he did in 1870, Riel proclaimed a provisional government, in March of 1885. He was helped by Indian tribes, led by chiefs Big Bear and Poundmaker. The Métis rebels ambushed and drove back a small detachment of Mounted Police at Duck Lake; this was the event which began the crisis that came to be known as the Northwest Rebellion.

The government quickly sent a military force of over 7000 Canadian soldiers. This force reached the West quickly by train, over the newly built tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Indian bands were quickly captured and the town of Batoche, Riel's headquarters, was taken. Louis Riel surrendered on May 15, was charged with treason and found guilty in a court of law. He was hanged on November 16, 1885 in the Mounted Police barracks at Regina.

In 1886, the boundary of the District of Keewatin was adjusted to match the boundaries of the districts created in 1882.

District of Keewatin

The boundaries of the District of Saskatchewan, created in 1882, overlapped those of the District of Keewatin. There were settlements in this disputed area. The Canadian government decided that both the economies and the people of these settlements were closer to the settlements in Saskatchewan than to those in the District of Keewatin. By an Order in Council, in May 1886, the disputed area was reannexed to the Northwest Territories, in order that it might be attached to the District of Saskatchewan.

The animation Territorial Evolution 1867 to 1999 shows sequentially the history of the political boundary changes in Canada from Confederation to the creation of Nunavut.

• Territorial Evolution, 1867 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1870 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1871 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1873 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1874 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1876 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1880 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1881 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1882 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1889 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1895 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1897 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1898 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1901 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1905 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1912 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1920 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1927 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1949 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1999 Map | Read about this map
• Territorial Evolution, 1867 to 1999 Map | Read about this map

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