Phase 4 Fur Trade

THE FUR TRADE

PHASE 4: THE DRIVE WEST 1760 - 1821

AYAH, AMARA, LINA, & RANIM

DID YOU KNOW...?

Hudson's Bay

Did you know that the word 'Métis' is French for 'people with mixed blood'?

Did you know that the method that the Europeans and the First Nations used to trade guns for beaver pelts was that they piled the beaver furs alongside of the gun and if they reached the height of the gun, then they would be able to trade? Otherwise, they had to wait until the following year to get more pelts.

Phase 4 of the fur trade took place from 1760-1821 and was known as The Drive West. New France became a British colony in 1763 as the fur trade switched to the British Mercantile System - a huge economic change. This is because the French focused more on furs, while the British payed attention to farming and agriculture. As a result, the Northwest Company was formed by independent merchants in the former French fur trade who wanted to compete against the Hudson's Bay Company. Both companies competed directly with each other, forcing the fur trade to drive west in search of new supplies and relations.

Amara, Ranim, Ayah, Lina

Did you know that a European trader named Pete Baker was the first to introduced oranges to the Métis? The Métis would get twelve oranges for one muskrat skin?

One pound of Pemmican usually consisted of about eight pounds of fresh meat.

AREA OF INSET

Red River

The Métis flag consists of a dark blue background and a white infinity symbol.

Alberta and Saskatchewan

The Fur Trade Started in...

This map did not exist during the

fur trade. It has been oriented

to fit today's boundaries

QUEBEC!

HBC Route

Then it moved west towards

what is now...

As the the trade moved west, the trade routes became longer so voyageurs and traders needed food that traveled well. The Cree, Nakoda and Blackfoot supplied voyageurs and traders with Pemmican, a dried meat that was ground to powder and mixed with fruit, berries, and animal fat then pressed into loaves or cakes. The Métis played an important role in the fur trade, as they situated themselves along the Red River (as the Red River was a central fort location). They were valuable guides, traders

and interpreters amongst the Aboriginal peoples. They were also provisioners and carters, providing a means of moving heavy cargo and accessible routes in this

unexpected land.

NWC Route

The fur trade would have been a lot more difficult if it were not for the help of the Aboriginal people. Their expertise of the land, the animal's migration patterns, and

their knowledge of the food and medicines unknown to the fur traders and their work ethic, the fur traders probably would probably have become discouraged and sick

more often. The Aboriginal women fed and tended to the ill, skins the carcasses (animal skins), and even married some of the traders. All of these factors led to the drive

west to flourish and succeed beyond expectations.

We think that one of the main reasons that the HBC became the dominant trading co. in Canada was an underlying reason that is not stated in our textbooks. While

the NWC used missionaries and even married the Aboriginals to secure trade relations, the HBC came to understand and respect these people, their culture, and their

beliefs. They began to acquire individuals who had gained the trust of these people to represent the HBC.