In 1870, French-speaking Métis made up more than half of the metis population of the Red River colony (Assiniboia). Due in part to their unity of language and religion, but mainly thanks to their sociomorphologic infra-structure (adaptive strategy and life-style), these Métis had developed a kind of national consciousness which allowed them to collectively claim right of possession of the Northwest territories, in the name of their Indian ancestry. However, during the 15 years following 1870, the country underwent an extremely rapid demographic, cultural and even ecologic evolution, sapping the Métis strength and plunging them into a state of serious anomy. In 1884-85, a small part of this one-time majority, under the leadership of Louis Riel, was to engage in a millennial movement, destined to be crushed by the Canadian armed forces.