The Fur Trade Era: Exploration and Exchange in Wisconsin

The Fur Trade Era: Exploration and Exchange in Wisconsin

Jean Nicolet

-Born in France

-Traveled to New France (Canada)

-Learned languages of Indian groups while living in Canada

-Visited near Green Bay in 1634

-Members of the Menominee, Ho-Chunk, and Potawatomi Nations met him

-Traveled about 700 miles by canoe

The Metis

Experience

Americans Take Over

Fur Trade Exploration and Water Routes

Map

Why did more French Explorers and priests come to Wisconsin?

-After British-American settlers lived in North America for 150 years the colonists wanted to form an independent country

-The American Revolution happened between 1775-1783, British troops fought against the colonial forces

-When the colonial forces won, the British lost control of the colonies and the fur trade

-The new U.S. leaders were busy setting up the government in Washington D.C.

-American control of the fur trade began after 1815

-Metis- of mixed heritage

-Some of the men who came from Europe and Canada married Indian women

-Their children were Metis

-Often the children learned languages and customs from the cultures of both of their parents

-Jesuit Missionaries came with the French explorers.

-The Jesuit came to teach their religion to different Indian Groups.

-Father Jacques Marquette lived with Indian Groups, he was sent to find the Big River (Mississippi River).

-A trader named Louis Jolliet joined him

-Louis Jolliet drew a map of how to find the river. Now people from France and Canada began to come and visit the area.

What happened as Europeans started traveling to North America?

French and Indian War

-First arrived on the east coast

-Brought with them new trade goods, and diseases

-Fought one another and Indians over land.

-Indians were pushed west, into Wisconsin

-With so many groups of Indians living in Wisconsin, some got along and some didn't

-Between 1756 and 1763 the French and the British fought for control of the trading forts and water highways

-The French didn't have enough soldiers and supplies

-In 1763 the last of the French forts surrendered to the British

-Many Indians fought against the British-

-Now the British controlled the fur trade

Jean Nicolet

How did explorers travel to Wisconsin?

When was the

old time?

What was the fur trade?

-Jean Nicolet traveled with Huron Indians by canoe

-Lakes and rivers were used like water highways

-Indians had traveled the water highways for thousands of years before the first explorers arrived

Before Europeans and others began arriving.

Years: 1600-1640

How did the War of 1812 affect the fur trade?

How did Indian People live in the Old Time?

-British and U.S. Troops fought again in the War of 1812

-The British demanded that the fort at Prairie du Chien be surrendered, the U.S. refused

-The U.S. surrendered the fort after three days of fighting over it

-By 1815 the war was over, finally the British agreed to leave Wisconsin

-The Indians, French, and Metis had to adapt again to someone new controlling the fur trade

-When the explorers showed up they realized that hunters were hunting beaver, mink, and otter for both food and clothing

-The pelts were used for warm clothing

-French traders did not pay for pelts with money

-Farmed and hunted for food.

-Hunted bear, deer, grew caorn, beans, pumpkins.

-Gather wild rice and caught fish.

-Traded tools and jewelry.

From French to British Control

What the French brought to trade:

Trading Posts

What did the Indians teach the European Traders?

-The French created a gathering spot on Madeline Island, called an entrepot

-Became a place for French and Indian traders to meet and exchange goods

-French built a trading post, called Prairie du Chien, where the Wisconsin River flows in the Mississippi River

-Went every spring when the ice broke, called it the Rendezvous

-The Indians and French were successful partners in the fur trade for decades.

-The British began arriving and wanted furs

-The British wanted to take control of the trading posts and Wisconsin

-Most Indians wanted to continue to trade with the French, had helped their families survive

brass

From Forts to Settlements

What the Indians brought to trade?

blankets

-Travel Routes

-How to use snow shoes and moccasins

-How to survive the cold winters outdoors

travel routes

fish

furs (pelts)

canoes

venison

glass beads

How did the U.S. government cause conflict with the cultures already living in Wisconsin?

wild rice

maple sugar

-The U.S. government quickly took over the fur trade in Wisconsin

-Built military forts to protect fur trade posts

-Each fort had a hospital nearby

-The U.S. soldiers kept control of the water-highways

-They also built roads to connect the forts

-The government appointed agents to work the Indians

-The government wanted the Indians to become more like non-Indians

-Government ran trading houses for the Indians so they could have control over who they were trading with

-The U.S. created new fur trade rules, and had only white men run the local governments

-The Indians resented the U.S. government treated them

cooking pots

woolen fabric

Image by Tom Mooring

metal axes