The Riel Rebellion

Materials are provided for a unit of study that will help high school students learn about the life of Louis Riel, who as the leader of the Canadian Rebellion of 1885 led his followers into armed conflict with the Canadian government. Riel lived at a time of rapid change in western Canada. The extinction of the buffalo ended the people's nomadic way of life, and the coming of the railway brought an increasing number of white settlers to the West. When the Canadian government ignored the pleas of Riel and his people for help, rebellion broke out. The unit's seven chapters examine Riel's life and personality, the rebellion and surrounding events, and whether Riel was justified in leading his followers into armed conflict. Each chapter contains questions or facts for students to keep in mind as they read as well as student readings and activities. Students dramatize scenes, draw cartoons, prepare comic strips, view films, write newspapers, discuss readings in class, write plays and poetry, do library research, and participate in a mock trial. The unit concludes with a bibliography of additional resource materials and a subject index. Teacher's guide: Instructions are provided to help high school teachers implement a unit of study dealing with the life of Louis Riel, who as the leader of the Canadian Rebellion of 1885 led his followers into armed conflict with the Canadian government. The guide first outlines the unit's educational objectives. The bulk of the guide discusses the two major methods that can be used to teach the unit and suggests specific activities and projects for each technique. The historical method of inquiry involves students in a factual study of the background, events, and personalities of the Rebellion. The method also involves students in playing the role of historian by researching and evaluating issues and drawing conclusions. The second teaching method is the legal method of inquiry that involves students in establishing what happened in the past and explaining why it happened. Students stage a retrial of Riel. Specific instructions for the retrial, including prosecution and defense strategies, descriptions of the roles of the major participants, trial procedures, and a glossary of legal terms are provided. A bibliography of films, slides, maps, and legal documents concludes the guide.