The Fur Trade

Jacques Cartier made his first of three voyages to North America in 1534 Contact between Aboriginals expanded as he search for gold on behalf of France

Jacques Cartier made contact with the Mi’kmaq and Iroquois – both groups were eager to trade furs for European iron goods

Believing he found a treasure house of natural resources, Cartier proclaimed the land for France, 1534

By 1600 the fur trade was being fuelled by the European demand for beaver-felt hats Beaver pelts were made into high quality beaver-felts that were warm and water resistant Beaver was extinct in Europe so the French returned to North America

 A relationship of economic and technological interdependence began between European fur-traders and First Peoples  Aboriginal’s knowledge of fur-trapping landscape of Canadian interior and skills to trap animals vital to success of fur trade

 In 1608, Samuel de Champlain sailed inland established new trading post at present day Québec City Champlain arrives at Québec

Champlain knew:  Success of fur trade depended upon maintaining the goodwill of Aboriginal trading partners  He was greatly outnumbered by First Peoples and their knowledge and skills essential to survival  Strategic northern locations of Wendat (Huron) and Algonquin were significant to fur trade so an alliance was needed

Champlain decided to:  Foster goodwill by sending young representatives of fur company to live among First Nations to learn their languages, values, and customs  Entered into the Wendat and Algonquins war against the Haudenosaunne (Iroquois) in 1609  Supplied guns to Aboriginal allies in return for their conversion to Catholicism

 English sailed into Hudson Bay and established a makeshift trading post at the bottom of James Bay in 1668  English and Dutch forged alliances with Iroquois and traded guns for furs – putting French at a severe military disadvantage  Aboriginals had keen awareness of quality of European goods and bargained with rival companies for the best deal

Exclusive trading rights over land draining into Hudson’s Bay granted to newly formed Hudson’s Bay Company by royal charter in 1670

 Founding marked the beginning of intense rivalry between French and English for control of the fur trade  French intercepted fur traders to heading north to HBC and obtained the best furs first  Cree fur traders benefited from competition by getting better deals HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY CREST

 Competition continued for more than 150 years  French (many were Métis) were pushing inland to expand fur- trading territory – as a result entered into a raid and counter- raid conflict with Iroquois until peace was achieved in 1701  HBC took total control of the fur trade in 1760 with the fall of New France

Aboriginal Peoples and the Fur Trade Contact led Aboriginal peoples from a lifestyle of independence to one of interdependence and finally one of dependence  At first Aboriginal technologies (canoes and food preservation) and knowledge (survival skills and navigation) greatly influenced economic and social interaction with Europeans  European technologies (guns, kettles, and knives) changed the manner in which traditional Aboriginal tasks were performed

Aboriginal Peoples and the Fur Trade Contact led Aboriginal peoples from a lifestyle of independence to one of interdependence and finally one of dependence  First peoples became more dependent on European manufactured goods leading to irreparable social and economic disruptions to Aboriginal society  Conflicts increased between First Nations societies as each sought to dominate the most fur bearing regions and monopolize fur trade

Aboriginal Peoples and the Fur Trade Contact led Aboriginal peoples from a lifestyle of independence to one of interdependence and finally one of dependence  First peoples exhausted fur supplies and moved to new regions displacing other groups  Traditional economies and way of life (sustainability) were hampered by depletion of animal resources

Aboriginal Peoples and the Fur Trade Contact led Aboriginal peoples from a lifestyle of independence to one of interdependence and finally one of dependence  No immunity to new infectious diseases (smallpox, measles, and influenza) was disastrous as populations were decimated  Introduction of alcohol and subsequent addictions created has devastating and long-term implications for Aboriginal societies

Impact on Europeans Europe was transformed into a capitalist society – a global trading network controlled by European powers emerged as the new world order  New foods (corn, potatoes, squash) discovered in Americas spread throughout the world  Aboriginal peoples taught Europeans how to plant and harvest these crops

Impact on Europeans Europe was transformed into a capitalist society – a global trading network controlled by European powers emerged as the new world order  Potatoes became a staple food in Europe and helped to eliminate famine and improve overall nutrition  Corn was used to feed livestock resulting in healthier animals and greater supply of protein rich foods (milk, eggs, cheese, meat)

Impact on Europeans Europe was transformed into a capitalist society – a global trading network controlled by European powers emerged as the new world order  Smoking became a recreational habit in Europe resulting in high demand for tobacco  Demands for tobacco and sugar cane created the rich plantation economies to thrive in American South and Caribbean

Impact on Europeans Europe was transformed into a capitalist society – a global trading network controlled by European powers emerged as the new world order  A global economic revolution turned Europe’s mercantile economy upside down from wealth generated from goods from colonies  Old trade routes to Africa and Asia were forgotten because of wealth generated from exploitation of colonies