an uprising of Métis and some early white settlers in the Red River area in 1870, led by Louis Riel and caused by encroachment on prairie lands by the Canadian government; a second uprising of Métis, Crees, and white settlers, caused by the continued expansion of Canadian influence and settlement into the Saskatchewan region, nominally led by Louis Riel.
See also: Northwest Rebellion (defs. 1 and 2)