Louis Riel: Hero Or Villain?

Argument #2

The surveyors

LOUIS RIEL: HERO OR VILLAIN?

Why he was innocent

The Surveyors

When surveyors came on the land that the Métis lived on, he asked them to leave. The surveyors did have a right to be on the land, and the Métis didn’t have legal papers saying they owned the land, but they had been living there for many years. If they have farmed and lived on the land for so long, it should belong to them and they should have been given deeds for it. This was the only land that the Métis had to live on, so Louis Riel should not be blamed for making the surveyors leave. The only reason he did it was because by having them there, the Metis risked having their land taken away. Louis Riel was again, only acting in defence of himself and the Métis.

Government surveyors were looking at the land that the Métis lived on, but did not own. Louis Riel told them to leave, because he feared that the surveyors would take the land away from them.

WHY HE WAS GUILTY

The surveyors had all right to be on the land. Métis had no legal papers whatsoever saying that they owned it therefore it wasn’t theirs to begin with. Riel didn’t have the right to push surveyors off of the land. They were not harming the citizens that lived in the town ‘nor did they commit any crimes. In addition, the surveyors were allowed to be there, they were just taking measurements for the future. Instead of hearing what the surveyors had to say, Riel just pushed them away and told them never to come back on their land again; even though it was not legally theirs. This is another act of Treason from Louis Riel.

WHY HE WAS INNOCENT

WHY HE WAS GUILTY

With the argument involving the government, it was not Louis Riel but rather the governments fault. Louis Riel and the Métis were not getting the supplies they needed and were promised from the government. Riel and the Métis wrote many letters of concern, but were ignored. Finally Riel decided to take up arms against the government and attacked.If the government would have kept their promises and gave them the supplies they needed, then this problem would not have happened. Therefore, this was the governments fault, not Riel's.

WHY HE WAS Innocent

Why He WAS GUILTY

The Métis took Thomas Scott as a prisoner because he attacked Fort Garry. While he was in prison, he insulted the Métis guards and Louis Riel. The Métis got so tired of it that they were going to whip him. Riel made them stop, and saved his life. This made Riel a hero because he saved someones life.

Louis Riel had always opposed the Canadian Government. The Government never harmed Riel in anyway, but he had decided to attack anyways. They tried to help the Métis by giving them land and even creating a Province for them; but that simply wasn't enough. They took arms against the country, taking away innocent lives from the greed in their hearts. Riel wanted power, and the only way he thought he could get it was by turning on his country and on the Government. The argument of the Government not giving the Métis what they wanted is invalid. The Government was not able to deliver the request in the amount of time that was expected. In that period, Riel had decided to turn against the country, take up arms and fight. In addition, the reason that the uprising began was not in fact the Governments fault, but Riel's.

Thomas Scott had died on March 4, 1870. His cause of death was due to immature actions of people participating in Riel's resistance, Scott was shot three times then lay in a coffin to suffer a slow death. Riel did nothing to stop this. According to the guards that were looking after Scott, he was difficult and a bad influence on the rest of the prisoners and he was almost whipped to death by the guards. Thomas Scott could not harm anyone from behind the bars, so why would they murder him? Just because he might have said a few things, does not mean that he should be sentenced to death, for it is your actions that should determine your faith. Thomas Scott did nothing wrong but was still punished, and Riel did nothing; just fled to the United States. He knew he was going to get punished for not stopping Scott’s death, and he did; he was banned from Canada for 5 years time just for that. Yet again, another example of why Louis Riel should be guilty.

Argument #1

The government

Argument #3

Murder of thomas scott

MURDER OF THOMAS SCOTT

The government

Thomas Scott was murdered on March 4, 1870. The cause of his death was because of an act of stupidity of his jail guards. He was shot three times, then put down to lay in a coffin, suffering a slow and painful death.

Louis Riel and the Métis were not receiving the supplies that they were promised. They sent letters of concern, but were ignored. Louis Riel attacked the government because of this.

Sources

• Voices and Visions~A story of Canada Text book
• Notes from class discussions

Conclusion

Guilty Conclusion

Louis Riel, leader of two rebellions, murderer, a person whose acts are of high treason. Louis Riel is no hero… he is a villain; one who turns on his own country, and his own people. One who has lied, and cheated.

INNOCENT Conclusion

Louis Riel was innocent because all of the things that he did were only defending himself and the Métis people. In the end, he is a hero, not a villain because of Thomas Scott. The things that happened were the governments fault, not his. He should not be accused of treason, and should be proven innocent.

INTRODUCTION

Guilty

introduction

Louis Riel has pleaded on being innocent, but is that really true? He is a leader, of not one but two rebellions against the Canadian Government. Riel should not be given the right to be innocent after all the selfish acts that he has done, and all the people who lay to rest because of these acts. Riel should be sentenced to a severe punishment due to his acts of high treason.

INNOCENT Introduction

Louis Riel pleaded innocence. Should he have? Yes, because he was only acting to defend himself and the others around him. Everything that happened was because of the government. If the government would have kept their promises toward the Metis, gave them deeds for their land, and didn't send people to where the Metis lived that were part of the government, none of the acts of defence that Louis Riel performed would have been necessary. Therefore, none of these issues were his fault.