Louis Riel and the Northwest Rebellion: From a Villain into a Hero?

The main goal of this thesis is to find out whether Louis Riel the leader of the Métis nation is a hero or villain and to answer the questions of what his contribution to the Métis cause is and how his image has changed over 131 years. The first part deals with the historical background of the Canadian Confederation, the Indians and Métis. Special attention is paid to the description of distinct cultures of the latter groups. The second part answers questions raised above in the context of the both rebellions. Further it deals with the political consequences of the second rebellion and trace down the development of the Métis up to the present