The Fur Industry In The 1600's

ur trade of the early 19th century was essential in expanding and developing economy, industry, and the international trade network of the Pacific Northwest and what is modern-day Washington State. British, Russian, and American trappers all developed a massive system of trading and trapping furs in the North West and developed two separate industries in the coastal, ship-based trade and the land-based continental trade. Several large companies were formed over the duration of the period, and with their massive capitol and reach, were able to shape the industry and help it stretch across all of North America. One of those companies, The North West Fur Company, was pivotal in developing the land-based fur trade in the northwestern United States

By the 1500s, Europe had destroyed almost their source of fur. The occurrence of the “little ice age” resulted in panic from European countries and a ridiculously high demand for furs. This made fur prices rise and Merchants hungry to sell them. This is similar to when China began to use silver as their national currency, which made merchants eager to trade with them. Different from one another, the fur trade was incredibly competitive in the Americas.

Social Studies Coureur De Bois and The Fur Trade Patrick Sikora Imagine a country called Canada, with lots of development, religions, and backgrounds. Well this is were coureur de bois and the fur trade comes in. The Coureur de bois and the fur trade, were small parts, that helped our country, called Canada to develop.

In the period from 1830 to 1860, European and American settlers started to arrive in Pacific Northwest, and increased their economic and political control over the Native Americans. Also, as fur traders from England and America, with Missionaries and protestant arrived in northwest, it brought a change of world of Native American. Fur trade society considered native women as people who played as a significant role in their economy, and Indian women acted as a bridge between two different groups: Fur trade society and Native American society. The marriage between men and Indian women were encouraged as a way to develop social connection reinforcing the economic relationship between Europeans and Indians.

By the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in 1756 the Montreal fur trade had expanded westward through the southern part of the Canadian Shield, south into the upper part of the Mississippi Valley and west across the prairies to the foothills of the Rocky

Amongst Europeans, fur clothing was popular, and the new abundance of fur bearing animals in North America fed their desires. The fur trade did however destroy the beliefs of Native American culture. The European fur trade upset the balance of the American ecosystem, enticing Native Americans to over hunt their land and go against the traditions that kept their land abundant for centuries. European traders came to America and traded with Natives for the pelts of animals. This resulted in beaver fur traders’ supply getting so low that they “could flatly declare that they had none,” The beaver, along with other fur bearing animals, had been hunted so extensively that the species became scarce.

During the 1600’s the French explored the Midwest, including Michigan, in search of the Northwest passage. While exploring, they discovered many animals with thick fur that they wanted to use for hat making in Europe. The fur trade between the French and Native Americans consisted of bartering, usually furs for European goods. They offered hunting tools like knives and guns. They also traded blankets, needles, alcohol, and cooking supplies.

The fur trade first established the Pacific Northwest as a hinterland by encouraging settlers and traders from The competition vigorously grew between Europe, the United States, Spanish cultures, and other participants beyond the coastal region. However, throughout the progression of the Pacific Northwest as a hinterland ships and agricultural merchandise become about, so there was more than farming to offer. Thus, resulting in the everyday reliance of these trading goods. In addition, The fur trade first established the Pacific Northwest as a hinterland due to the fact that the fur trades satisfied the economic aspect that the hinterlands required, by supplying raw materials and resources to further the growth of the markets and generating dependency upon the fur.

During the 1920’s Canada’s economy prospered, since many countries recovering from the horrors and especially damages of the war, required Canadian products. Canada’s abundance in resources such as pulp, forestry, wheat and mining greatly contributed to Europe’s recovery as well as the Canadian economy. Throughout this decade, many products and resources became more available such as cars due to mass production techniques developed to meet the product demand. For instance, the vehicle ownership rate in Canada increased from 300 000 in 1918 to 1.9 million by 1929.

They learned about competitive spirit from their fathers. Whether they learned it from their fathers or by themselves, the Métis learned to adapt both Indian and European ways of life, by using what was suitable to their needs. Métis woman played an important role in the process of obliging two cultures.

Due to the fact that only Native Americans were in the Oregon Territory, and they used animal products efficiently and did not hunt unless it was necessary, the animal population was very high. The main animal hunted by trappers were beavers. Their fur had become a commodity due to the near extinction of the creature from over hunting. “The possibility of profiting from the western beaver trade had led,”(McNeese OL) many to the territory in search of wealth and fame.

They stopped searching for a passageway to the East and sent many people out to hunt for furs. They traded not only with the Natives, but with other European countries as well. Many people came to the new world, and settled in areas rich with animals to hunt, Creating settlements such as, Quebec in Canada and the New Orleans. Bringing Christianity to the Natives was a harder than hunting for furs. Many tribes did not trust the white people, and would not allow them to come onto their land.

The development of agriculture and the rise of industrialization generated new cultures and innovations in the new world. Native people in early America developed cultural distinct , men were in charge of the fishing, hunting, jobs that were more exposed to violence, and the women stayed closed to the village, farming, and child bearing. The way of life possessed by natives Americans did not compel them to conquer and transform new land. As opposed to European colonizers, Native Americans subscribed to a more “animistic” understanding of nature. In which they believed that plants and animals are not commodities, they are something to be respected rather than used.

CIV 102: Essay Outline Name: Dawar Fuad Section: 2 Question: Compare and contrast the fur trade in North America with the fur trade in Siberia. Context: In the early modern era, the process of global commerce started to gradually appear between the prominent empires and states. The merchants had focused on only some specific types of materials to trade with, and one of the most profitable materials was the “soft gold” fur. Europeans and Russians were at the top of this trade process because they had a giant access to a numerous number of fur-bearing animals in their colonies in North America and Siberia.

During the late 1400s and the early 1500s, European expeditioners began to explore the New World. Native Americans, who were living in America originally, were much different than the Europeans arriving at the New World; they had a different culture, diet, and religion. Eventually, both the Native Americans and the European colonists exchanged different aspects of their life. For example, Native Americans gave the Europeans corn, and the Europeans in return gave them modern weapons, such as various types of guns. This type of trade was called “the Columbian Exchange.”