Five Phases of Fur Trade

Phase Five

Monopoly in the West 1821-1870

Five Phases of The Fur Trade

The NWC and HBC merged. The competition between the North West Company and Hudson's Bay Company led to fights, shootings and hostage-takings. "Britain ended the conflict in 1821, by encouraging the companies to merge under the name of the Hudson's Bay Company. The HBC lost a court case against independent Metis traders supplying pemmican and furs to Americans."(***Textbook***) Britain began to panic that the Americans might use economic connections to gain control of Rupert's Land. European demand for furs began to fall, buffalo began to disappear and beaver became scarce. "Britain helped the Hudson's Bay Company negotiate the sale of its founding territory-Rupert's Land-to Canada"(***Textbook***)

Phase One

The Early FUR Trade 1500-1603

Phase Three

River Networks 1670-1760

Phase Four

The Drive West 1760-1821

Cod fishing started the early fur trade. Mi'kmaq and other First Nations traded with Europeans that were fishing off of the East coast of what is now Canada. The British set up drying stations, but not permanent settlements. The French did not require staions because they preferred to use salt instead. The First Nations had years of experience trading with Europeans and would continue to trade with them after cartier's voyages. The early trade benifited both sides and formed friendships and peace.

Western Fur Trade Development. "The North West Company took over the French trade network running through the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. The company was owned by British merchants, but depended on Canadien and Metis workers."(***Textbook***) The entire fur trade came under the British mercantile system. The British system was land hungry while the French system focused on resources especially furs. British merchants took control of the fur trade network after New France became a British colony. "The merchants competed as independents against rge monopoly of the Hudson's Bay Company. Competition between the NWC and the HBC drove the fur trade west, as both companies sought new supplies of furs and new First Nations contacts."(***Textbook***) As the fur trade moved west, supply lines and trade routes connecting forts in the west with shipping points in the east became longer.

In 1670 Britain established The Hudson's Bay Company. The HBC and France competed against each other in the fur trade. In order to develop the HBC the government offered some merchants a monopoly on the fur trade in the area. The Hudson Bay geography influenced the HBC to strategize business. "The land around Hudson Bay are not suited to agriculture. This meant, at first, the HBC did not seek to colonize its territory as part of establishing trade."(***Textbook***) The Hudson's Bay Company looked for parners to work as middlemen between its forts, to the west along the Hudson Bay and First Nations, as the Dunne-za and the Blackfood Confederacy. "The First Nations are centrally located between the British and the French trading networks - such as Cree and Nakoda - took up this role for both The Anishinabe became middlemen, along with Canadien coureurs de bois, between the French fur trade network and First Nations in the west."(***Textbook***)

Phase Two

Expansion Inland 1603-1670

During this phase France dominated the fur trade. "The fur trade was central to the economy of New France. Quebec and Montreal became the shipping cetres for a fur trade network running up the St. Lawrence and its tributaries to the Great Lakes."(***Textbook***) In Quebec ships unload trading goods from france and loaded furs for france. A benefit is there is more teritory, and more people to trade with. A con is some people trick other nations to trade unfairly. Intense hunting and trapping began to reduse are population of beaver. Traders and middlemen moved west into new regions because furs and food became hard to get.

By-Lina Jordet