FUR TRADE BASICS
Which animal's fur was most in demand during the fur trade?
Beaver
What were trading posts used for?
Trading and meeting people
What does HBC stand for?
Hudson's Bay Company
What was a coureur des bois?
A French-speaking person who travelled and traded in the fur trade.
True or False: Beaver furs were the only animal furs traded during the fur trade.
False. Beaver fur was the most popular, but others were traded (marten, mink, otter, muskrat).
Name one thing stored in trading posts and forts.
Goods to trade, supplies, or medicines
Name one company involved in the fur trade.
The Hudson's Bay Company or the North West Company.
Who acted as interpreters in the fur trade?
Metis people.
What is the process of exchanging goods without using money called?
Bartering
What were some items that Europeans traded with?
Manufactured goods such as tools (guns, pots and knives), clothing, blankets, tobacco, sugar, tea, and liquor.
True or false: The North West Company still exists today.
False. In 1821, the two companies merged under the name of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Why were First Nations and Métis women important to the fur trade?
They helped build relationships and connect European traders with Indigenous communities.
Why were furs valuable in Europe?
There was a low supply of furs, and they were used to make felt hats (a popular fashion item at the time).
Why did Europeans build more trading posts and forts as the fur trade continued?
To expand the fur trade and control more territory.
Why was there competition between European fur trade companies?
Each group wanted to gain the most control of the fur trade and trade for the most furs.
Who were voyageurs?
Men who transported goods and furs by canoe. Most spoke French.
Do you think the fur trade was fair to both sides, or did one group benefit more than the other? Why or why not?
Answers may vary.
What was one positive AND one negative effect of the fur trade?
How did the competition between companies affect the beaver population in Canada?
The beaver population decreased a lot, and they almost went extinct during the busiest time of the fur trade.
True or False: The fur trade could succeed without the contributions of First Nations and Métis women.
False