Table of Contents
What happened to the fur trade?
The fur trade started to decline in the Eastern United States by the late 1700’s. The decline resulted chiefly from the clearing of large areas for settlement. As more and more land was cleared, fur-bearing animals became increasingly scarce.
What did the Europeans do with the furs?
Europeans used furs in variety of ways. Many garments, especially those of the wealthy, were trimmed with the fur of animals such as fox, ermine, and sable. Europeans learned that beaver fur could be made into felt and fashioned into high hats, which soon became fashionable throughout the continent.
What happened to the First Nations after the fur trade?
The French traded differently, going into Indigenous lands where they often took First Nations wives and gradually evolved a Métis (mixed race) people. The Indigenous peoples became dependent on the trading posts for firearms and ammunition and for European food.
What replaced the fur trade?
Animal rights organizations oppose the fur trade, citing that animals are brutally killed and sometimes skinned alive. Fur has been replaced in some clothing by synthetic imitations, for example, as in ruffs on hoods of parkas.
Where did the furs go after they left North America?
In Europe, north American beaver pelts flooded the European market. Pelts were generally imported into either England or France, where some pelts were sold in the domestic market, and some pelts were exported to other parts of Europe for sale.
Who owns the Hudson Bay?
NRDC Equity Partners
Hudson’s Bay Company/Parent organizations
Where did the fur trade take place in Canada?
Explorers Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser and David Thompson (all employees of the NWC) began the fur trade in British Columbia. In 1821, the North West Company merged with the stronger Hudson’s Bay Company. George Simpson, the governor of the HBC’s trading territories from 1826 to 1860, made the company very rich.
Where did the furs from the fur trade come from?
The French traders obtained furs from the Huron Indians and, later, from the Ottawa. These tribes were not trappers, but they acquired the furs from other Indians. The French also developed the fur trade along the Mississippi River. During the early 1600’s, English settlers developed a fur trade in what are now New England and Virginia.
Who are the competitors in the fur trade?
Rival trading firms such as Bent, St. Vrain, and Company; Vasquez and Sublette; and the American Fur Trading Company built competing forts to lure away the commerce of the Cheyennes and Arapahos. Of those who decided to enter the fur trade business, many failed in their attempts to garner profits.
Why did the fur trade decline in the United States?
The decline resulted chiefly from the clearing of large areas for settlement. As more and more land was cleared, fur-bearing animals became increasingly scarce. Over trapping of fur-bearing animals hurt the fur trade in the Western United States and Western Canada.
How did the discovery of the northwest lead to the fur trade?
News of the fabulous value of Northwest furs sparked the interest of traders in America, England and Spain and led to the beginning of the sea-based fur trade in the Northwest. It was interest in the maritime fur trade following the publication of the official report of Cook’s voyage in 1784 that led to the discovery of the Columbia River.