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SOCIAL STUDIES 9Chapter 9: Canada Moves West
Pages 250-284
Introduction
Fur Trade was an important part of life in New France and Canadao Canada was, in effect, founded
on fashiono Through the beaver hato Became a fashion rage
throughout Europeo Because of the demand for fur,
traders travelled from one end of the continent to the other in search of furs.
Exploration and the Fur Trade
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
Fur Trading Companies
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.
Northwest Company
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
Economic Imperialism
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
The Hudson’s Bay Company
What is it?
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!
Who started it? 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.
Why?
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.
How? 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.
When?
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.
Where?
•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).
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.
HBC Forts
Other forts were established earlier, but captured by France and changed hands several times:
Charles Fort (1668) Moose Factory
(1673) Fort Albany (1674)
Information about Posts
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.
Made Beaver (MB)
MB Tokens - Could be spent like cash in the HBC stores
Living in an HBC Post
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
HBC Blanket
Trading Ceremonies
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
Trading Ceremony
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
The North West Company
Who Rivalled the HBC ? 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?
BRITISH NORTH AMERICAThe Fur Trade
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
NWC
-Paid by commission Built many posts Go to the source
policy Aggressive trade
policy Encouraged
marriages More expensive
good
Life of a Voyageur
The entire distance from Montreal to Rocky Mountains could be travelled by water, but it was VERY difficult.
Usual route: 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)
Canadiens
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).
A Comparison of Canoes
Diet of a Voyageur
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. The main flavoring came from the cook’s
unwashed hands. (similar to pancakes).
NWC Wintering Partners
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
End of Rivalry
Eventually the competition was too much and the two companies joined together in 1821
Exploration
The NWC produced more explorers than HBC because of the difference in how they operated business.
Henry Kelsey 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
Samuel Hearne 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).
Alexander Mackenzie
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.
Second Expedition - 1792 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.
Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser 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
Simon Fraser 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.
David Thompson
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.
Pacific Coast
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 well-organized 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
Spanish Explorers
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)
Juan Perez
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
Bodega Y Quadra
In 1775 and 1779 sailed north and reached Alaska
Russian Explorers
Tsar Peter the Great planned to make Russia a world power and wanted an empire that could complete with the rest of the world
Vitus Bering
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
Bering’s Voyages
Bering and Alaska
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
Captain James Cook
He was the first European explorer to set foot on the coast of what is now British Columbia
English navigator
Captain Cook
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 17712nd voyage (GREEN) – 1772 to 17753rd voyage (BLUE) – 1776 to 1780
James Cook died on February 14, 1779 in Hawaii.
George Vancouver
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
George Vancouver
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.
Women in the Fur Trade
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
Ensured actual survival of European traders by:
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
Women in the Fur Trade
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
Arrival of Settlers
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
Lord Selkirk and the Red River Colony
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
Lord Selkirk
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
Why was NWC upset?
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
Start of Pemmican Wars
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.
Pemmican War
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.
Results of HBC/NWC merger
HBC hired many NWC employees Stopped using the long route from Lake
Superior to Montreal All furs shipped out through Hudson Bay.
George Simpson
New HBC governor of Rupert’s Land
Like a dictator Called “little
emperor” Was governor for
40 years Promoted
conservation
