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Canada goes West. Why Bother?. $$$$ - the fur trade is a money making machine ! Exploration of the West was more of a ‘business plan’ – people wanted to exploit the land for profit, not to settle it Canada is essentially founded on the whims of fashion Coats Trim Blankets Hats. 1763.
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Why Bother? • $$$$ - the fur trade is a money making machine! • Exploration of the West was more of a ‘business plan’ – people wanted to exploit the land for profit, not to settle it • Canada is essentially founded on the whims of fashion • Coats • Trim • Blankets • Hats
1763 • Loyalists have moved to Canada • Immigration from Europe starts to increase • There is lots of land to the west that has not been explored…
Europeans needed to use established trading patterns • Death could result otherwise • The conflict between Iroquois and Huron had roots in trade even before Europeans showed up
Hudson’s Bay Company • 1669 - Started by two coureurs de bois (Radisson and Groseilliers) • They wanted to start a fur trade based on the Hudson Bay • New France/France did not want to back them • So they asked Charles II and he agreed • He called the area “Rupert’s Land” after his cousin
North West Company • Made up of American and Scottish businessmen • They moved to Montreal after 1763 • They took over trading networks that the French had • They kept the French employees • Formed officially in 1783
Unlike the HBC, the NWC dealt directly with the aboriginal people • NWC would intercept furs on their way to HBC • This forced HBC to build inland posts • Competition had begun!
Voyageurs • You can travel by water (mostly) all the way from Montreal to the Rockies • There are a few parts where you need to “portage” (travel over land) • Had to carry 36+ kg, and the canoe
NWC • The NWC was successful because the cost of running business was cheaper • But in the end, the HBC was too great to overcome • In 1821 the two companies merged into the HBC
Interior Exploration • Fur traders did a lot of mapping and exploring • Even though their goal was economic • Aboriginal peoples helped Europeans in the area • (Page 272) – Explorer routes
