Chapter 9: Canada Moves West
Pages 250-284
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Fur Trade was an important part
of life in New France and
Canada
Canada was, in effect, founded
on fashion
o Through the beaver hat
o Became a fashion rage
throughout Europe
o Because of the demand for fur,
traders travelled from one end
of the continent to the other in
search of furs.
o
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Natives met traders long before they met other
Europeans
Both profited from the exchanges
Natives traded for goods such as metal hatchets,
pots, and glass beads
Fur traders only wanted the furs, not to conquer
the natives
Fur traders were the middle-men between the
natives and Europeans
Fur traders used trade routes that had been
established for centuries by natives
Was in balance, but wars could easily be fought if
either felt cheated
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From the start of the Fur Trade companies like
Hudson Bay Company and the Company of
100 Associates tried to get monopolies,
meaning that they along had the rights to
certain trading partners and territories.
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After New France fell in 1763, the French fur
trade was taken over by Scottish and American
businessmen.
Eventually formed the Northwest Company in
1783.
There was a fierce rivalry between HBC and
NWC.
This competition benefited the natives
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It is important to remember that fur trading
companies were Economic Imperialists:
(exploit land for profit) where imperialism refers
to the domination of one country by another
politically, economically or culturally… So
therefore economic imperialism refers to
economic domination.
Fur traders travelled and mapped the network
of rivers and lakes in the west and north of the
country
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The HBC, is the oldest commercial corporation in
North America and is one of the oldest in the world.
It was once the de facto government ("concerning the
fact" or in practice but not ordained by law) in parts
of North America before European-based colonies
and nation states existed.
It was at one time the largest landowner in the
world.
It is now owned by an American.
HBC coat of arms, showing the old Latin
motto
pro pelle cutem: a skin for a skin.
The HBC motto is "pro
pelle cutem," which may
have a clever double
meaning. One
interpetation is that it
means they wanted the
skin, cutem, for the sake
of the fleece, pro pelle.
The other is that it
means "for the pelts
which we collect, we
risk our skins." They
believed they were
taking a risk with their
money by going into the
business. For the traders
in Canada, the risk
could even more real:
weather, accidents,
animals, or hostile
traders could kill them!
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Two French traders, Pierre-Esprit Radisson and
Medard des Grosseilliers, learned of excellent fur
trading grounds and sought permission from the
French to build a trading post on the bay, making it
easier to move furs by sea rather than by land.
However, the recently appointed French Secretary of
State, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, was trying to promote
farming in the colony, and was opposed to
exploration and trapping.
The two men got help from Boston businessmen and
went to ask Britain for financial backing.
After financing an expedition, King Charles II
granted the men a Royal Charter.
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The real objective of the company was to
establish itself in the frozen wilderness as an
alternative to the French Canadian fur traders
To expand and dominate the trade from North
America to Europe.
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The charter granted the company a
monopoly over the Indian Trade, especially
the fur trade, in the region watered by all
rivers and streams flowing into Hudson Bay
in northern Canada, an area known as
Rupert's Land after the first governor of the
Company, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a
first cousin of Charles.
Prince Rupert helped convince Charles to
finance and grant the charter.
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The Governor and Company of
Adventurers of England trading into
Hudson's Bay was incorporated on May 2,
1670, with a Royal Charter from King
Charles II.
•Areas once belonging to Rupert's Land include all of
Manitoba, most of Saskatchewan, southern Alberta,
southern Nunavut, northern parts of Ontario and Quebec,
as well as parts of Minnesota and North Dakota and very
small parts of Montana and South Dakota.
•This covered an area of 3.9 million square kilometres (1.5
million sq mi), over one-third the area of Canada today).
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The first company headquarters on the bay, Fort
Nelson, was established at the mouth of the nearby
Nelson River in 1682.
The establishment of the fort provoked a quick
response from France, which sent a naval force to
Hudson Bay to capture and destroy the fort in 1684.
The company built a second fort on the Hayes river,
naming it after the Duke of York.
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Other forts were
established earlier,
but captured by
France and changed
hands several times:
Charles Fort (1668)
Moose Factory (1673)
Fort Albany (1674)
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Its posts were called “factories” because the head
trader was called “the Factor”
Posts were located at the mouths of large rivers on the
shores of Hudson Bay and James Bay.
Posts staffed by Europeans
Relied on Cree, Assiniboin and Chippewan to bring
furs.
Natives were eager to trade with HBC because it was
the only post around for thousands of square miles.
The trade was reasonable and fair (if price not good
enough Natives would only trade inferior furs)
Ships once a year
Communicated with directors in London once a year.
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Factories were staffed by the Factor and clerks
who worked in the store
Also numerous trades people e.g. boat
builders, carpenters, smiths
All received salaries
Hours long and few holidays
Lots of drinking and eating during the winter
Posts acted like the shopping malls and
community centres of today
Stocked essentials as well as decorative items
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Monotony of daily life interrupted during
trading sessions
Customs and traditions of First Nations had to
be respected before any friendship or business
relationship could develop
One of the most important customs was the
smoking of the peace pipe
Then the native trading captain would describe
the past year, number of furs brought, etc
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Native trading captain
given a uniform
Factor also wore an
elaborate costume
Other gifts given out
e.g. liquor and
tobacco
Feasting and partying
then took place
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The North West Company - A partnership
of Scottish and American capitalists who
moved to Montreal beginning immediately
after the fall of New France in 1763.
1783 – a number of smaller companies
merged to form the NWC. Used French
employees and French contacts.
How were the trading methods of the NWC
different from those of the HBC?
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HBC
Paid by salary
“Pay at the Bay” policy
Discouraged alcohol
Discouraged
fraternization
Better quality goods
Oldest continuous Co.
in the world.
Built more forts to keep
up with the NWC
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NWC
-Paid by commission
Built many posts
Go to the source policy
Aggressive trade policy
Encouraged marriages
More expensive good
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The entire distance from Montreal to Rocky
Mountains could be travelled by water, but it
was VERY difficult.
Usual route:
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First stage using rivers all the way to the far shore of
Lake Superior (Grand Portage aka Fort William)
Second stage used smaller canoes using lakes and
rivers (Lake Winnipeg and Saskatchewan River)
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Voyageurs who worked for the NWC were called
Canadiens and they were famous for their strength
and endurance.
Paddling fifty minutes out of every hour.
40 strokes of the paddle a minute.
Sang songs to help time go by (and take mind off
hard work).
Portage: Carry canoe and goods over land to the
next waterway.
They would carry 36 kg of goods (called piéces).
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Unappetizing meals
Main meal was cooked dried peas or cornmeal
mixed with water and bits of lard or pemmican
A special treat (galette) was when the cook
punched a hole in the bag of flour and poured
in a little water with salt.
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The main flavoring came from the cook’s unwashed
hands. (similar to pancakes).
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The NWC cut overhead costs by having the
partners work in the field rather than hiring
managers or factors to do the trading
Called “wintering partners” because they spent
the winter away from Montreal
If you spent at least a year west of the depot at
Fort William – “Nor-westers”
Taught to be resourceful and tough
Moved westward to find new sources of fur
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Eventually the competition was too
much and the two companies joined
together in 1821
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The NWC produced more explorers than HBC
because of the difference in how they operated
business.
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In 1690 sent by the HBC to
encourage native peoples to
bring their furs to York
Factory
During two year journey, he
reached The Las and
Saskatoon
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Sent by HBC in 1769
Failed at school,
Joined the Royal Navy and learned
basic navigation skills
Explored northern part of Rupert’s
Land with Chipewyan guides to find
copper.
Unsuccessful until his third mission
Matonabbee,a great hunter and chief,
taught him to survive in barren land
and where copper was
After 2 years they had travelled close
to 2 years (6,000 km on foot).
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He worked for the
North West Company
In 1789 ordered by
Peter Pond to find a
river to the Pacific
from Lake Athabasca
On his first expedition
in 1789, he would follow
the river that now bears
his name all the way to
the Arctic Ocean.
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Decided to follow the
Peace River and depend
on his native guides
Travelled on the Fraser
River until too dangerous
and then went westward
on the Blackwater river
system
Ended up in Bella Coola
Thought he had been on
the Columbia River.
First European expedition
to cross the land mass of
Canada by land
This is the same rock and the words are almost the
same. However, Mackenzie used bear grease and a red
colouring to write his words. These words were carved
into the rock much, much later.
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Simon Fraser
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Worked for the North West
Company.
He was the top man for the
company in what is now
British Columbia.
Between 1805 and 1808,
crossed into the central parts
of BC and set up posts at
Fort McLeod, Fort Fraser,
Fort St. James, and Fort
George
Named the area “New
Caledonia” because it
reminded him of Scotland
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He explored the river that
now bears his name in the
spring and summer of 1808.
He got as far what is now the
northwest part of Sea Island
(where the airport is) on July
2, 1808.
He could barely see the
ocean waters when he was
attacked by the natives and
he had to turn back.
He felt even worse later on
when he discovered he
wasn’t on the river he
thought he was!
He had always believed he
was on the Columbia River.
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He started working for the
Hudson’s Bay company in 1784 at
the age of 14.
He stayed with the company until
1797.
He moved to the North West
company and did more
exploration.
In 1811, he was the first European
to travel the full length of the
Columbia River.
When Thompson retired, he had
mapped almost one-fifth of North
America!
He was one of the greatest land
geographers ever.
Mackenzie reached an inlet of the Pacific. He tried
to go on to see open water but was turned back by
unfriendly natives. He missed seeing George
Vancouver by 48 days.
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Explorers on the Pacific coast north of Oregon
found that the indigenous people were not
willing to surrender their rights to Europeans
These were large populations with wellorganized societies
One of the most famous leaders was
Maquinna, who was a Nu-chal’-nath leader
from the area of Nootka Sound on Vancouver
Island
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After the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Spain
began the conquest northward
When Spain got wind that Russia was
beginning to explore the Pacific Coast, they
started to send explorers
Juan de Fuca claimed to have found a
waterway into the coast of North America
(Juan de Fuca Strait)
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First explorer was Juan
Perez who was sent in 1774
Not able to do coastline
mapping because he sailed
in a ship to large to
approach the shore
Reached Haida Gwaii and
traded with the Haida there
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In 1775 and 1779
sailed north and
reached Alaska
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Tsar Peter the Great planned to make Russia a
world power and wanted an empire that could
complete with the rest of the world
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A Dane sent by Tsar
Peter in 1725 to look
for land suitable for a
Russian colony to the
east of Siberia
Took three years just
to reach the Pacific
coast of Russia
Explored the North
Pacific and the Bering
Strait
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In 1741, Bering landed on the Alaska coast and
began trading with the Aleut people
Died on the return journey
When the survivors were offered high prices
for the soft, luxurious furs of sea otters by
Chinese merchants, a brisk trade in these skins
began
Soon, Russian fur traders were busy hunting
the sea otter off the Alaska coast
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He was the first
European explorer to
set foot on the coast of
what is now British
Columbia
English navigator
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Famous author whose books would sell out in
three days of publication
Used sauerkraut (to get rid of scurvy, as it was
a source of vitamin C)
Good navigator, map-maker, and great leader
In 1768, circumnavigated the globe, bringing
back scientific information and specimens
Second trip, he found Antarctica
Third trip he proved the Northwest Passage
did not exist
First nations people in canoes go out to meet HMS
Resolution, Captain Cook’s ship. The second ship in
the expedition, HMS Discovery, is seen in the
background.
On his way to Nootka Sound, Captain Cook completely
missed the Juan de Fuca Strait. It is interesting to note that
the word “nutka” in the native language means “go
around”.
Captain Cook is seen meeting the natives at Nootka Sound in
March 1778. Cook’s ships HMS Resolution and HMS
Discovery can be seen in the background. Four years earlier, a
Spanish ship also came to Nootka Sound but the crew did not
land.
1st voyage (RED) – 1768 to 1771
2nd voyage (GREEN) – 1772 to 1775
3rd voyage (BLUE) – 1776 to 1780
James Cook died on
February 14, 1779 in
Hawaii.
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One of Cook’s officers
Sent by the British to
strengthen Britain’s claim
to the Pacific Coast – based
on 1778 visit of Cook
Arrived in Burrard Inlet in
1792 and found 2 Spanish
ships already there
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Spanish agreed to work with the British to chart
the channels and inlets of the Strait of Georgia
Spain gave up claims to the coast north of
California
Expeditions between 1792-1794
Vancouver produced accurate and detailed maps
Guarded his sailors against scurvy
Worked himself to exhaustion
Died in 1798
The first European settlement in western Canada was at
Red River in 1811.
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Only recently studied, without their help,
doubtful trader could have been successful.
Traders took “country wives” (Native or
Métis) provided many benefits for their
husbands
Family and social connections
Knowledge about customs
Acted as interpreters
Make sagamite (ground corn)
 Make moccasins
 Made snowshoes
 Leather clothing
 Gathered firewood
 Made pemmican
 Supplied other foods such as fish, maple sugar and
berries.
 Women dressed the furs
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Native and Métis women worked just as hard
as their men, but they are rarely mentioned in
documents or journals
Native and Métis women suffered, but could
seldom retaliate.
They were often abandoned when European
males married European women
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Great amount of money to be made in the fur
trade
In 1788, furs sold in London for the value of £
191,000 – millions of dollars today
The HBC and NWC worked against each other
to win Native customers and suppliers away
from each other
Ambushed each other
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Selkirk hoped to re-settle Scots in Canada
Had a large tract of agricultural land set aside
along the Red River (close to modern
Winnipeg)
Got the land from the HBC – though land went
through NWC trade routes
Given the rights to settle an area of thousands
of square killometres - Assiniboia
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Did not know much about agriculture and sent
his settlers to the area without ploughs – only
had hoes and spades
Only because of the assistance of the Metis
were the settlers able to survive
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Settlers took up land directly across its trade
routs
Disrupted the buffalo hunts of the Metis who
used the meat to supply pemmican to the
Nor’westers
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The Governor of the Selkirk settlement did a
foolish thing…
He issued a proclamation forbidding the export
of pemmican from the Red River.
The NWC could not afford to bring all their
food from Montreal
So… this confirmed NWC belief that HBC had
planted the colony to ruin NWC, and as a
result the pemmican war broke out between
the two companies.
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NWC offered to transport settlers to different
region – Upper Canada.
Seven Oaks: conflict… governor and 21 settlers
and HBC employees were killed.
Selkirk retaliated by capturing Fort William
(NWC headquarters)
NWC sued Selkirk and he lost a lot of money…
but shortly thereafter he died and then the two
companies merged anyways.
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HBC hired many NWC employees
Stopped using the long route from Lake
Superior to Montreal
All furs shipped out through Hudson Bay.
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New HBC governor of
Rupert’s Land
Like a dictator
Called “little
emperor”
Was governor for 40
years
Promoted
conservation