Ship Route to HBC Forts

NWC/HBC CRESTS

From Heroes to Outlaws Coureurs des bois. Or “Runners of the woods”. Without written permission from the government, they would go into the wilderness and make contact with First Nations. New France wanted to keep its people close to home in case of Iroquois raids, so needed written permission to go out and trade.

Fort “Prince of Whales”, 1734 Taken from the HBC Collection

Birth of the Voyageurs Only those who received written permission from the French Gov’t could take part in the fur trade. The Coureurs des Bois were outlawed and a new wave of French fur traders was developed called the Voyageurs.

Harsh Penalties… (ouch!) Coureurs des bois who traded without a permit and against the orders of Louis XIV could expect harsh sentences: First offence: lashing Second offence: branding with a fleur-de- lis (You’d think they’d get the point by now!) Third offence: rowing for the rest of their lives aboard a royal galley!

Medard de Groseilliers 2 Coureurs de bois who expected a warm welcome in Montreal when they came back with 100 canoes overflowing with furs received jail time instead- because they didn’t have a license to do so!!! The English heard of these brave explorers and were invited to meet King Charles II.

The King’s cousin, Prince Rupert knew that there was money to be made in the fur trade and the King granted all the land whose rivers drained into the Hudson Bay. This became known as Rupert’s Land. The 2 French explorers were hired on to build forts and carry out expeditions. So forms the HBC.

Prince Rupert: First Governor of Hudson’s Bay Company

Cut-throat Companies! Traded with these goods Blankets Textiles Tobacco and alcohol Muskets and ammunition Copper and brass kettles Mirrors and ornaments The rivalry between the HBC and the NWC was extremely costly, hurting trade, slowing colonial expansion, creating a culture of violence and corrupting Native society.

Historic Merger England didn’t like where the cut-throat fur industry was going so it made a proposal to join the 2 companies. The NWC would gain shares in the company and carry on working. The HBC would get to keep their name and London would be the home-base, Montreal no longer played a leading role. The merger took place in 1821.

Hudson’s Bay Company ( )

Hudson’s Bay Company territory ( )

Hudson’s Bay Company Territory ( )

Women and the Fur Trade The NWC did so well because of mixed marriages= strong alliances. Native women supplied moccasins and snowshoes. Prepared and stored food. Hunted, fished and treated animal hides. They even took part in canoe building and fur trading expeditions! At the end of their careers or after another job posting, a number of Voyageurs would leave their native wives and children behind. The NWC encouraged the husbands to arrange for care for their families.

White Women in the West First female pioneer to give birth in the North West was in Scottish women arrived in Selkirk’s Red River Colony in 1812.

Decline in the Fur Trade Colonization of the west contributed further to the decline of the fur trade. Aboriginal peoples, Métis and fur merchants opposed the new wave of settlers. Conflict broke out several times, with incidents such as the Battle of Seven Oaks, the Riel-led North West Rebellion and finally the Battle of Batoche.

The Founding of Victoria

Pushing away the fur trade The arrival of the railway, accelerating immigration to the West, dealt the final blow to the trade of voyageur. By the beginning of the 1900’s, voyageurs were rare in Eastern Canada, while the few remaining in the West were far North.

A Retired Voyageur

Finding New Jobs With the fur trade in decline, some became labourers for the HBC, but they had to take a 50% pay cut. Others returned to the land and became farmers. In eastern Canada, a lot of ex-voyageurs found work in new industries such as logging.

Statue of a Voyageur Mattice, Ontario

Meanwhile, back in the civilized part of Canada… A look at the settlements of: Toronto Quebec City

Toronto Iroquois for “place where trees stand in the water” United Empire Loyalists moved here from America and purchased the land from the Mississauga Indians (1000km2) By 1793, Governor Simcoe created the town of York. Fort York gave protection. In the War of 1812, Americans plundered town and held it for 5 days, destroying the parliament buildings!

Toronto 1890’s

A New Town, New Name By 1834, the town of 9000 changed its name to Toronto. 1 st Mayor will be William Lyon Mackenzie! Also the owner of the Colonial-Advocate Newspaper and a member of the Legislative Assembly. It became a refuge for many African- American slaves (underground railroad)

Yonge in 1837 (Dec)

Yonge in 1890

Toronto Today

Quebec City: Then and Now

Quebec City Algonquin for “where the river narrows” One of the first permanent European settlements of North America Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain Cartier built a settlement there in 1540’s but it didn’t last long (1 year) In 1763, Gen. Wolfe (British) fought against Montcalm (French) and took over Quebec City. After the war, the French gave New France over to the British.

Samuel de Champlain

Battle of Quebec City The Americans thought that the captured people of Quebec City would fight for their cause in the American Revolution. They attacked the British at Quebec City but were defeated. Years later, General Isaac Brock built up the walls and artillery before War of 1812.