| 1844 – October 22 | Louis Riel is born in the Red River settlement. |
| 1858 | Archbishop Taché sends Riel and three others to Lower Canada to be educated for the priesthood.
Riel is 14 years old. |
| 1864 – 1866 | Upon death of his father in 1864, Riel withdraws from college to work and support his family. He finds work in Montreal as a law clerk. |
| 1866 – 1868 | Riel works in Chicago and St.
Paul. |
| 1868 | Riel returns to Red River settlement. |
| 1869 | Canada starts to survey Dawson Road from Lake of the Woods. |
| 1869 – July | William McDougall, Canada’s minister of public works, orders a survey of Red River settlement. |
| 1869 – July 19 | Riel speaks at a meeting of Métis residents about rights in event of annexation of Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) lands by Canada. |
| 1869 – August | Riel speaks on the steps of St.
Boniface Cathedral; declares Dominion Government plans to conduct a land survey a menace. |
| 1869 – Septembe
|