Louis Riel is specifically written to meet the needs of adolescents and adults who are reluctant readers. The photographs, maps, and illustrations reflect the text, making the words easy to decode. This high-interest, low-vocabulary biography is ideal for English as a Second Language or adult basic education students.
Riel (1844-1885) was born into a French MÉtis family. As English settlers began arriving to Red River, the home of the MÉtis, Riel, acting as leader, fought for and won some rights for the MÉtis, who were worried that they were going to lose their farmland to the settlers. As leader of the Red River Resistance and later the North-West Rebellion, Riel was found guilty of treason against Canada and hanged, in spite of turning himself in. Today, many people think of Louis Riel as a hero. Some think he was a traitor.