1. The Fashion that Fuelled the Fur Trade

3. The Fur Trade - Where would you set up? You are an official of the Hudson’s Bay Company who has just been given the task of building five fur trading posts in Rupert’s Land. Working with one or two colleagues you need to: 1) Begin by making a list of general criteria you have for selecting a location. (5 marks) 2) Using these criteria, and the map of Canada provided, decide where you would build the forts. Mark the locations on the map. **For each fort you need to justify why you chose that location. You also need to make a list of reasons why that location might not be perfect. (15 marks)

4. The Fur Trade and Western Exploration The fur trade brought the first non-Native (European) settlers to Western Canada. By the mid-1600s the French were exploring and trading in the region around the Great Lakes. But then...

5. 1670 - Hudson Bay Company established - 1670 Charter gives the company exclusive rights to trade in the vast area known as Rupert's Land.

6. Rupert's Land - all the lands drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay

7. Rupert's Land – All the territory that holds the rivers that drain into Hudson Bay. Have a look at the following two sketches. What would it have been like to have lived at one of the HBC forts?

10. The company was quite successful until a competitor came onto the scene: 1784 - North West Company was formed. There were two types of partners in this company: 1) Hivernants(Wintering Partners) They remained in the Northwest over the winter and traded directly with the Natives. 2) Montreal Partners – stayed in Montreal, bought trade goods from England, and arranged for the shipment and sale of furs to England.

11. The Nor'Westers were more aggressive than the HBC in their search for new sources of fur. The NWC travelled further and further westward, establishing trading forts that were easier for the Natives to get to.