The Red River Rebellion was an uprising by the Métis people in modern Manitoba. The national government of Canada bought the area, then known as "Rupert's Land", from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1869. The government then ordered surveys to be started of the new territory. The Metis were afraid that they would then lose their lands, since many did not have clear titles. They were also afraid that the Canadian government officials, many of which were Protestants, would not allow the Metis to continue being Catholics.