Jacques Cartier made his first of three voyages to North America in 1534 Contact between Aboriginals and Europeans expanded as he search for gold on behalf.

Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier made his first of made his first of three voyages to three voyages to North America in North America in

15341534

Contact between Contact between Aboriginals and Aboriginals and

Europeans Europeans expanded as he expanded as he

search for gold on search for gold on behalf of Francebehalf of France

Jacques Cartier made contact with the Jacques Cartier made contact with the Mi’kmaq and Iroquois – both groups were Mi’kmaq and Iroquois – both groups were

eager to trade furs for European iron goodseager to trade furs for European iron goods

Believing he Believing he found a found a treasure treasure house of house of natural natural

resources, resources, Cartier Cartier

proclaimed proclaimed the land for the land for

France, 1534France, 1534

By 1600 the fur trade By 1600 the fur trade was being fuelled by the was being fuelled by the

European demand for European demand for beaver-felt hatsbeaver-felt hats

Beaver pelts were made Beaver pelts were made into high quality beaver-into high quality beaver-felts that were warm and felts that were warm and

water resistantwater resistant

Beaver was extinct in Beaver was extinct in Europe so the French Europe so the French

returned to North returned to North AmericaAmerica

Tadoussac was established and became the first trading site and early centre of the fur trade

French traders conducted business with Maliseet, Algonquin, and Montagnais peoples; who previously had driven the Iroquois out of the area

Located where the St. Lawrence River and Saguenay River meet

A map of the area

created in 1619

A replica of the first

trading outpost

A relationship of economic and technological A relationship of economic and technological interdependence began between European fur-traders and interdependence began between European fur-traders and First PeoplesFirst Peoples

Aboriginal’s knowledge of fur-trapping landscape of Aboriginal’s knowledge of fur-trapping landscape of Canadian interior and skills to trap animals vital to success of Canadian interior and skills to trap animals vital to success of fur tradefur trade

In 1608, Champlain sailed inland established In 1608, Champlain sailed inland established new trading post at present day Québec Citynew trading post at present day Québec City

Champlain arrives at QuébecChamplain arrives at Québec

Champlain knew:Champlain knew:

Success of fur trade depended upon Success of fur trade depended upon maintaining the goodwill of Aboriginal maintaining the goodwill of Aboriginal trading partnerstrading partners

He was greatly outnumbered by First He was greatly outnumbered by First Peoples and their knowledge and skills Peoples and their knowledge and skills essential to survivalessential to survival

Strategic northern locations of Wendat Strategic northern locations of Wendat (Huron) and Algonquin were significant to (Huron) and Algonquin were significant to fur trade so an alliance was needed fur trade so an alliance was needed

Champlain decided Champlain decided to:to:

Foster goodwill by sending young representatives of fur company, known as the coureurs de bois, to live among First Nations to learn their languages, values, and customs

Many were Métis, people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, and are now one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada

Champlain decided to:Champlain decided to:

Entered into the Wendat and Algonquins war against the Haudenosaunne (Iroquois) in 1609; the English allied with the Iroquois

Supplied guns to Aboriginal allies in return for their conversion to Catholicism

This decision put the French at a severe military disadvantage as many did not initially convert; while the English freely traded guns to their Iroquois allies

English explorers sailed into Hudson Bay English explorers sailed into Hudson Bay and established a makeshift trading post and established a makeshift trading post at the bottom of James Bay in 1668at the bottom of James Bay in 1668

English and Dutch forged alliances with English and Dutch forged alliances with Iroquois and traded guns for furs – Iroquois and traded guns for furs – putting French at a severe military putting French at a severe military disadvantagedisadvantage

Aboriginals had keen awareness of quality Aboriginals had keen awareness of quality of European goods and bargained with of European goods and bargained with rival companies for the best dealrival companies for the best deal

Exclusive Exclusive trading rights trading rights

over land over land draining into draining into Hudson’s Bay Hudson’s Bay

granted to granted to newly formed newly formed Hudson’s Bay Hudson’s Bay Company by Company by

royal charter in royal charter in 16701670

Founding marked the Founding marked the beginning of intense beginning of intense rivalry between French rivalry between French and English for control and English for control of the fur tradeof the fur trade

French intercepted fur French intercepted fur traders to heading traders to heading north to HBC and north to HBC and obtained the best furs obtained the best furs firstfirst

Cree fur traders Cree fur traders benefited from benefited from competition by getting competition by getting better deals better deals

HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY CREST

Competition continued for more than 150 yearsCompetition continued for more than 150 years French coureurs de bois were pushing inland to expand French coureurs de bois were pushing inland to expand

fur-trading territory – as a result entered into a raid and fur-trading territory – as a result entered into a raid and counter-raid conflict with Iroquois until peace was counter-raid conflict with Iroquois until peace was achieved in 1701achieved in 1701

HBC took total control of the fur trade in 1760 with the fall HBC took total control of the fur trade in 1760 with the fall of New France of New France