The Five Phases of the Fur Trade

The Fur Trade: The Foundation of an Economy

In this section, students were introduced to the essential questions –
 How did Economic competition shape the fur trade?
 What roles did French, British, First Nations and Métis peoples play in the
Fur Trade?
 What Impact did the fur trade have on diverse peoples?

We are introduced to the word competition. Economic competition played a

central role in the fur trade. In economic competition, “winning means
controlling more wealth than other people.

Competition shaped the people, the relationships, the roles and peoples
movement. This happened in phases as the trade developed across Canada.

Phase 1: The Early Fur Trade: 1500-1603

 The early fur trade began because of the cod fishery. The partnership was forged
between Europeans and First Nations because the Europeans had need to
replenish their supplies. The impact of economic competition introduced new
goods for trade as the Europeans and First Nations begin to understand why trade
was important to lying a foundation of mutual benefit. From the First Nations
point of view, the early fur trade built relationships of peace and friendship.

Phase 2: Expansion Inland: 1604-1670

 The French government identified that the fur trade was essential for the growth
of New France. Quebec and Montreal became shipping centers for furs to Europe.
 During this time, tension rose between the French and the Haudenosaunee, a truce
was established in 1701 after a long bloody war that incited old tribal revelries.
“The Great Peace of Montreal”.
 Ouendat (Wendat) – the Fur trade middle man were pushed out the fur trade by
the First Nations people.
 Jesuit Missions were established with the goal of converting First Nations to
Christianity. Many First nations people accept, but continue to practice their own
religion.
 Coureurs de Bois – Independent traders, who replaced the Ouendat (Wendat),
they were accepted at first but made illegal when trading post became established.

Phase 3: Rival Networks: 1670-1760

 The English fur trade is established with the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post
in 1670. Britain offered a group of merchants a monopoly on trade in an area
unclaimed called Rupert’s Land. The HBC did not look to colonize the land due
to the harsh climate in the Northwest. The HBC used the Anishinabe and the
Couriers de Bois as their middleman.
 It is during this phase that the Voyageurs emerged. They maintain the vital link
between New France and the post on the great lakes. A voyageur would work as a
hired man to make the long canoe trip up the St. Lawrence.
  Many marriages happened between the French and the First Nations, they called
the children of these families Métis or mixed.

Phase 4: The Drive West 1760-1821

 The North West Company traders took over the French trade network running the
St. Lawrence River and Great Lake. This but pressure on the Fur Trade from the
east and the north (HBC) and pushed the fur trade further to the West.
 New France became a British Colony in 1763. The Fur Trade faced an economic
shift when the British began to establish more settlement and less trapping.
 A trade in pemmican developed and helped secure the lines of trade
 Territorial expansion occurred in the west and so did the movement of people.
Communities of business and trade occurred.
 The Métis people develop a distinct culture at Red River. They were key to the fur
trade as interpreters, guides, traders, provisionary and carters.
 Missionaries established contact with First Nations in the West.

Phase 5: Monopoly in the West: 1821-1870

The HBC and NWC merged in 1821 under the name of HBC.
 The HBC began to lose control of the monopoly when independent Métis Traders
challenged the HBC for economic control using the fear of the America to force
its hand. This lead to a decline of the Fur Trade in the west. The buffalo began to
disappear, beaver became scares and European demands for fur began to decline.
 The new challenge for this young nation was now, what type of challenges would
the First Nations, Europeans and Métis face trying to co-existence.

Impact of the Fur Trade

 What impact did the Fur Trade have on diverse people?

 How did the Fur Trade influence the Migration of peoples?
 Because of the Fur Trade and the by-products of it such as the need for
guides, interpreters, provisionary – people moved to new locations,
starting with Acadia, then Quebec, eventually to Red River and the West.
 First Nations people such as the Cree had to relocate due to the demand
for food resources. This brought the Cree into conflict with the Blackfoot.
 Europeans came west and began to establish communities as early s 1734
 Missionaries followed the trade and founded schools, churches that laid
foundations for permanent settlements in the west.
 Forts and trading post, such as Fort Edmonton vanished over time but
became the sites of permanent settlements.