Introduction
The main topic for this analysis is Reporting the Resistance in Red River settlement. The selection of this topic is based upon a literature explaining, analyzing and interpreting the events that surrounded the Red River that created a big attention from historians. The following topic brings together a collective of letters written by Alexander Begg and Joseph Hargrave. The letters documented the resistance and giving an understanding of the social world that contributed to the resistance. During this period, the Red River settlement was a small, isolated community that administered civilization while at the same time facing savagery resistance. Canadians held this settlement in order to take it over and run it as a colony to promote civilization. Even though Canadian politicians claimed that the settlement could be done within one month of winter, the implementation difficult because of high resistance (Bumsted 3).
The selection was set in the period between the autumn of 1869 and 1870. It focused on the resistance experienced in the Red River settlement in Canada after being transferred from Hudson’s Bay Company. The whole process of Red River settlement was put into writing by Begg and Hargrave. Begg was a Winnipeg’s merchant while Hargrave worked at Hudson’s Bay Company. Begg’s letters were published by Toronto Globe newspaper while Hargrave’s letters published by Montreal Herald newspaper. The two authors wrote under the topic “Reporting the Resistance”, all the events taking place between 1869 and 1870 in Canada regarding the Red River settlement program. The following paper provides an analysis of this topic discussing problems and challenges faced during settlement. In addition, the paper analysis concerns of authors in relation to other people, economic situation, landscape, and political situation.
Analysis
Geographical
In this letter, Hargrave demonstrated a lot of concern for the people who were being settled in the Red River since he gave the description of the area and claimed that most people might face challenges settling there. He was addressing the government calling upon it to go slow on the matter. In addition, the author’s use of geographical theme plays a great role in ensuring the government and the settlers understood the importance of landscape during any settlement program begins. In terms of economy, the author looked upon the main economic activities that were carried out in the selected location. There was a high concern about the economy of settlers since the government could not provide enough to sustain them. Agriculture was the main economic activity, and the author ensured that people who were settled had enough land to carry out their farming practices. The following issue contradicted with the government plans causing settlement resistance as reported by Hargrave in September 25, 1869 (Bumsted 40).
Cultural theme
The cultural beliefs of the community should be respected irrespective of any prevailing situation. The communities whom the topic concentrates about came from different cultural backgrounds hence; the author had to understand all their concerns in order not to favor one community over another. Culture relates to the way of life that a group shares. The way people act, express themselves and the organization constitute their culture. Hudson’s Bay Company had united almost all communities in the region bringing them together to share some activities. People from Red River called for the development since it would lead to civilization; however, Hargrave’s letter showed the slowness of government to settle people realizing the crisis it could introduce (Bumsted 53).
The cultural theme played a great role in uniting people from various villages who came together, and combined their efforts as they fought for their rights to settlement. The political situation at that time was distorted as people wanted to take advantage of idle lands. Most politicians ignored their cultural responsibilities as leaders and started arguing about owning Hudson’s Bay Company. The political heat in the region interfered with the marked territory forcing people to be settled outside the Red River settlement. Some people were settled in Portage la Prairie, which was outside the boundaries of the Red River. Moreover, the author uses the cultural theme in illustrating how the living standards of people changed as they were forced to undertake certain practices not allowed by their cultures (Bumsted 55).
Economic theme
Secondly, the author used the economic theme to illustrate his concerns about the people who suffered as a result of the delay in settlements. Any nation aims at achieving a stable economy in order to avoid borrowing from others. By settling these people, Canada would have introduced a new source of income for the settlers because agriculture was the main economic activity. The letters from the authors showed a lot of concern for other people. On the other hand, the author used economic theme to illustrate the political situation experienced in the area. Since the Red River settlement scheme accommodated many people, many politicians wanted to be associated with the program and offered people businesses to run. Various events and political rallies were organized to educate the public on how to earn a living through self-employment activities. Such issues created a big concern for Begg and Hargrave, who wrote letters to stop politicians from taking advantage of impatient people (Bumsted 99).
Conclusion
As seen from this analysis, the author had many insights into the period between 1869 and 1870. The discussed themes clearly show that the author had a lot of concern for the people of Canada and wanted best for them. The author fought for the acquirement of Red River land to settle people who worked at Hudson’s Bay Company. He did not fear what the government would say about him. In addition, the author ensured all information was written and posted in every newspaper so that every person could see how resistance the government was in settling people at Red River settlement.
Begg argued that the council selected by the government to settle the matter did their work in closed doors and never allowed the public to hear their discussions. They introduced heavy duties that the public had to pay in order to be settled in the scheme (Bumsted 60). The author never accepted it, instead he wrote more letters to the government calling upon them to understand the struggles that normal citizens underwent to raise the amount needed for them to secure lands. This showed a lot of concern for the public when it comes to civilization.
Work Cited
Bumsted, J. M.. Interpreting Canada's past. 3rd ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2005.
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