The Battle of Seven Oaks happened because of a shortage of Food. Okie.. So the whole trouble came to be because of the Pemmican, and because of Macdonnel. Because he was the one that drew the Proclamation. Selkirk was not involved in the war. He only claimed Rupert's Land. But since Macdonnel was the governor of the Red River Colony, how could they not have listened to his him? Semple was also involved in the fight because Macdonnel resigned as the governor of the Red River Colony. Cuthbert Grant led the Metis, and they won the war.
Did I miss your question?
Sra
Umm Im just collecting some bits and pieces of information on why the battle of Seven Oaks occured. Could you help?
You're right, Emma.
But since Macdonnel was the governor of the Red River Colony, how could the Metis not have listened to him?
Why did Selkirk claim Rupert's land? Just to help support his fellow settlers?
The Metis were proud of their heritage and wanted to continue making a living as hunters and trappers. They didn't consider MacDonnell their leader. He sided with the new Canadian government. The new Scotch settlers were more important to them than the Metis.
Selkirk wanted desperately to find a good place for the Scottish people to settle.
This fight went on all over the Americas. The natives had lived on this land for hundreds of years. And yet people from Europe took over their land and usually didn't even consider the native peoples.
You have provided a summary of the events surrounding the Battle of Seven Oaks, but there are some inaccuracies that need to be clarified. Allow me to explain and provide a more accurate account of what transpired.
The Battle of Seven Oaks took place on June 19, 1816, in what is now known as Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was a conflict between the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) and the North West Company (NWC), two fur trading companies operating in the area.
While the scarcity of food was a broader issue in the region at the time, it was not the direct cause of the battle. The root cause was actually a dispute over trade rights and land ownership between the HBC, led by its governor Miles Macdonell, and the NWC, led by Cuthbert Grant.
The conflict had its origins in the Pemmican Proclamation, which was issued by Macdonell in 1814. This proclamation placed restrictions on the export of pemmican, a traditional Native American food made from dried meat, fat, and berries, which was a valuable trading commodity. This decision by Macdonell aimed to ensure food supply for the HBC's Red River Settlement during a period of scarcity.
However, the NWC and many Métis hunters, who relied heavily on pemmican for trade, saw this as a threat to their livelihoods and opposed the proclamation. The tension between the HBC and the NWC escalated, resulting in the Battle of Seven Oaks.
To address your other points, Lord Selkirk did have a connection to the conflict, as he was the major shareholder and influential figure in the HBC. He had established the Red River Settlement in 1812 and claimed the surrounding area, known as Rupert's Land, which overlapped with the North West Company's trading territory.
Macdonell, as the governor of the Red River Colony, did play a leading role in the events, but his proclamations and decisions were not universally accepted or respected by the Métis and the North West Company traders.
Governor Macdonell's resignation and subsequent departure from the Red River Colony did contribute to the violence that erupted in the Battle of Seven Oaks. Robert Semple, who succeeded Macdonell as governor temporarily, clashed with Cuthbert Grant's group of Métis and NWC men, leading to the armed confrontation.
It is important to note that the Battle of Seven Oaks did not have a clear winner or loser in a conventional military sense. It resulted in fatalities on both sides and heightened tensions between the HBC and the NWC. The conflict was eventually resolved through negotiations, leading to the merger of the two competing fur trading companies in 1821.
In conclusion, the Battle of Seven Oaks was not directly caused by a shortage of food, but rather a culmination of tensions between the HBC, led by Miles Macdonell, and the NWC, led by Cuthbert Grant, over trade rights and land ownership. The issues surrounding the proclamation, Macdonell's resignation, and Selkirk's involvement all contributed to the conflict, which ultimately led to negotiations and the merger of the two companies.