hands- on approach to
business
Simpson did not sit behind a desk all day
He spent much of his 40 years as director
traveling around his territory
He traveled to as many trading posts as he
could
He would arrive without warning and grill his
staff if things were not up to his standard
He was called the “Little Emperor” because of
his small stature and high expectations
George gets tired…
After 40 years in charge of the HBC, Simpson
returned to England in 1829 to take a leave of
absence
He returned a year later, in 1830 with a new wife
Frances who was 18 years old
(she was his cousin!)
George’s Two Lives…
As was common, George already had a First Nations
wife and many Metis children in Canada.
He did not want his new English wife to meet them
so he shipped them off before the Simpsons arrived
Frances Simpson
When she arrived, Frances announced that she would not
socialize with the Metis people
She socially isolated herself- a bad move in a community
where people had to depend on each other
More bad news for the
Simpsons…
Because of Frances’ attitude, George was also isolated from
the community and began to become bitter towards his
workers
In the spring of 1832, their infant son died and he and his
wife left Red River and returned to England.
Simpson returns
(again…)
Again, Frances and George returned to British North
America this time settling in Montreal where the social
scene was more to their liking. This occurred after their son
died in 1832.
George was knighted in 1841 for his service to the HBC
He continued to travel across his “empire” until he died in
1860.
The Red River
Resistance- 1870
PAGES
155- 162
Lots of changes in the
1860’s…
Many people immigrated to the
Northwest
Canada became a dominion (a
country that rules itself)
The HBC’s fur trade started to
decline
Many Canadians moved West
to find available farm land
Rupert’s Land:
The Orange Order
Many of the new Canadian settlers were Protestants and
members of the Orange Order:
◦
A violently anti- French, anti- Catholic movement
They were prejudiced against the Metis (surprise!) because
they were French, Catholic, and of mixed heritage…
The Orange Order
Although they were small in number, the presence
of the Protestants increased tensions in the Red
River a lot.
One of the first immigrants and Orange Order
members was Dr. John Schultz, he opened a general
store, took over the newspaper “The NorWester”
By the end of the 1860’s he had organized a small
group called the Canadian Party which hoped to
gain control of the settlement.
Dr. John
Schultz
Economic problems…
Anger in the Red River between these groups continued to increase.
Economic problems in the Red River contributed to rising tensions…
◦
Crop failures
◦
Decrease in bison
◦
Less investment by the HBC
Land ownership
issues…
Added to this was the fact that:
◦
The Metis never made legal claim to their territory
although they had farmed it for years
◦
According to HBC policy, all HBC employees were entitled
