The Europeans Fur Trade

1
The Europeans Fur Trade

• Intro
• The Trade in the Era of New France
• Norwesters and Baymen
• A New People
• Merger Diversification
• An Assessment the Fur Trade and Colonialism

2
Discussion Question from Last Week (Week 3)

• How was Native culture modified during the
  cordilleran fur trade? Was it intentional or did
  it occur unintentionally during the fur trade
  process? Did the exchange of European goods for
  furs dramatically alter native traditions?

3
Discussion Question from This Week (Week 4)

• In what ways did the HBCs stance towards women
  in the fur trade change over time, and what were
  the factors that influenced this change? In what
  ways did the NWCs position towards women in the
  fur trade differ from that of the HBC?

4
Trade in the Era of New France

• Mercantilism
• Mr. Radish Mr. Gooseberry
• Pierre Radisson Medard Chouart, sieur des
  Groseilliers
• 2 May 1670 Hudsons Bay Company Charter
• Pierre Le Moyne, sieur dIberville
• Treaty of Utrecht, 1713
• La Verendrye
• Grand Portage
• Fall of New France, 1760

5
Territories of the Fur Trade, 1830
6
Norwesters and Baymen

• North West Company, 1783
• Wintering partners and Montreal merchants
• Voyageurs
• Peter Pond

7
Empire of Trade

• Captain Cook (1778-9), Capt Vancouver (1792-94)
• American Revolution (1776-89)
• Explorations in the Cordillera
• Alexander Mackenzie, 1793
• Lewis and Clark, 1805
• Simon Fraser, 1805
• David Thompson, 1811
• Columbia River
• Fort George
• Convention of 1818

8
Empire of Trade

• Fur Company Sales, 1800
• HBC 38,000
• NWC 144,000
• XY Company
• Rise in Prices
• 1800-20 - unprecedented levels of violence as HBC
  and NWC compete for supremacy

9
A New People

• Métis
• Marriage a la facon du pays (country marriages)
• French- and Cree- speaking, Catholic
• Buffalo hunt
• Pemmican

10
Red River

• Thomas Douglas, fifth Earl Selkirk
• Takes over HBC, 1809
• 300,000 acres around forks of Red and Assiniboine
  Rivers -- Assiniboia, 1811
• Governor Miles MacDonnell
• Pemmican War
• Cuthbert Grant
• Battle of Seven Oaks
• 1821 -- merger of HBC NWC
• exclusive right to trade in all of BNA, excluding
  Canadas

11
Re-Organizing the Fur Trade

• George Simpson, the Little Emperor
• From mercantilism paternalism to capitalist
  enterprise

12
Re-Organizing the Fur Trade

• New Caledonia
• Columbia Department
• Fort Vancouver
• Fort Langley
• expanded trade salmon, farm products,timber
• Chinook jargon
• James Douglas Amelia

13
Fur Trade Posts in the Cordillera
14
Resettlement

• Oregon Trail, 1843
• Fort Victoria, 1843
• Treaty of Oregon, 1846

15
An Assessment

• Colonialism?
• claims to territory
• New societies
• Settlement -- Red River Fort Victoria
• Civilization vs. savagery
• Resource economy
• Harris scheme
• Violence
• Culture
• State
• self-interest in land (settlers)

16
Discussion

• What key issue do Driscoll Van Kirk disagree
  on, according to Driscoll?
• In what way does Driscoll suggest Van Kirk is
  limited or wrong? What does she suggest should
  be done instead?
• Do you think Driscoll is successful in her
  attempt to challenge Van Kirks argument?