Module 3 Flashcards
What symbol of prestige emerged in the 1500s related to the fur trade?
Beaver hats
Beaver hats became a fashion trend symbolizing status, leading to increased demand.
How long did the demand for beaver felt last?
Nearly 3 centuries
This long duration reflects the significant role of the fur trade in Canadian history.
What is Canada’s national animal that reflects the importance of the fur trade?
Beaver
The beaver is also depicted on the Canadian nickel.
What misconception exists about First Nations peoples’ involvement in the fur trade?
They lacked understanding of European trading practices
Many believe they were easily exploited, but they had their own trading systems.
Who was the first to establish a formal trade operation in North America?
The French
Samuel de Champlain established trade in the early 1600s.
What strategy did the French King employ to increase French population in the colonies?
Encouraging intermarriage with First Nations
This was particularly aimed at the Mik’maq in Acadia.
What was the main center of the fur trade for the next 250 years?
Quebec City and Montreal
These cities became pivotal due to their strategic locations.
What were courreurs de bois?
Illegal fur traders
They established relationships with First Nations and contributed to Métis communities.
What significant company was established in 1670?
Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC)
Formed after English traders recognized the potential of fur-bearing regions.
What type of trade relations did the English establish compared to the French?
Fortified trading posts
English traders built military-style operations unlike the French approach.
In what year did New France fall to the English, impacting the fur trade?
1760
This led to the HBC gaining a monopoly in the fur trade.
What were the most valuable trade items for First Nations?
Iron pots, copper kettles, knives, hatchets, clothing, food staples
Items like guns became important but were not immediately transformative.
What was the First Nations’ response to inferior trading goods?
Refusal to trade
They demanded quality goods and were influential in maintaining trading standards.
What did the Hudson’s Bay Company do in response to First Nations’ demands for better products?
Improved their product quality
This was crucial to retain business against competitors like the NWC.
What group emerged as a significant middleman in the fur trade as it moved west?
Cree and Assiniboine
They played a dominant role in maintaining trade networks.
Fill in the blank: The fur trade era lasted considerably longer than the establishment of Canada, which became a country in _______.
[1867]
True or False: The English traders traveled to First Nations villages for trade.
False
Instead, First Nations traders traveled to the English forts.
What did First Nations people understand about European desires in trade?
The value of beaver skins
They recognized the economic benefits of trading furs.
What was the main reason for the brittleness of metal products shipped to Asian and African climates?
The metal products became brittle, causing flaws and cracks.
How did First Nations’ experience with European goods affect their trading decisions?
They became less likely to accept goods that could not withstand environmental stress.
What was the impact of competition on HBC’s product quality?
HBC was forced to improve their product or risk losing business to competitors like the French or NWC.
What economic relationship existed between First Nations and fur traders?
Both sides attempted to obtain as much as they could for as little as they could.
What happened to First Nations’ bargaining position after the 1821 merger of NWC and HBC?
First Nations traders were in a much less favorable bargaining position.
What does ‘inelastic consumer demand’ refer to in the context of First Nations trading practices?
First Nations traded fewer furs for the same quantity of goods when fur prices were high.