Essay On Fur Trade

The Europeans took advantage of the first nations because they didn't had knowledge about how much the fur and goods they were trading were worth. Indians were relied too much on Europeans, and they were obsessed with trading that they killed too many beavers for furs to trade.The aboriginal tribes competed with other Indian tribes in order to fight for the fur trade with the Europeans. Enormously hunting affected the beaver population but it also gave aboriginals meat and bones to use later other than trade. France dominated the trade, and established New France trade economy.Thus the French and First Nations came to know each other better which made them partners in the fur trade.

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On the other hand, the northwest company took over French trade network through Saint Lawrence and Great lakes. The British merchant ruled North West Company and depended on metis workers. When the big shift in economy occurred, Montreal and Hudson Bay company was taken over by the British. Moreover, Europeans adopted “pemmican”; which was a highly energetic food in the fur trade used as nutritious food. Besides that, the first nations were consisted of French fathers and first nation’s mothers. Due to cross cultural marriage; their children were bilingual. The metis nations emerged a new distinct cultural group by mingling elements of aboriginals and of Europeans cultures in a new advanced way. By 1670, Scottish metis families created new metis culture and in 1800s, distinct culture emerged within the Canadian, aboriginals and Scottish roots. The emergence of the identity of metis people was influenced by fur trade. Metis began working at the red river which was a central location labor for the trade. The Metis people were very proficient in interpreting and trading skills, and the other Indian and European people highly appreciated