The Fur Trade and the Metis

You have already learned a little about the fur trade in Canada It was disappearing in Ontario and Quebec, and started spreading to the North and West. By the 1800s the fur trade had spread across North America and supported two major companies.

The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) The HBC founded in 1670. It was given monopoly to Rupert’s Land, which it ruled it for around 200 years It was run by wealthy British men in London It was mostly in north central Canada.

The Northwest Company (NWC) The Northwest Company, or NWC for short, was founded in Montreal in 1783 The NWC spread further into the West and built forts along the rivers.

The two companies were in stiff competition and did their best to defeat each other. Both were located in Ruperts land, but the HBC stayed close to Hudons Bay, and would ship products back to England. The NWC made forts further away from Hudsons Bay, and would send products back to Montreal.

By the 1820’s, the competition between the two companies was hurting the profits of both companies. As both demand and supply of furs declined, it became clear that there was not enough to support two large companies.

The British government pressured the companies to unite. In 1821 the NWC became a part of the HBC. All the fur trade was now based out of London. The united company still relied on Metis and FN for furs and supplies.

What impact did the Fur Trade have on the First Nations? Many FN were involved in the fur trade supplying furs. They also acted as guides and translators Many fur traders married FN women. Their children were known as Metis.

The Metis The Metis were descendants of fur traders and First Nations. The name Metis means “mixed.” Most were of French-Canadian descent and spoke a mix of French and Cree. Some were of Scottish or English descent.

Many Metis settled in the Red River area, what is now southern Manitoba, in the early 1800s. Their lifestyle combined elements of FN and European traditions. Some were farmers, while some were involved in the bison, or buffalo, hunt.

Bison meat was used to make pemmican. Pemmican was a mixture of dried meat mixed with dried berries and melted fat. It contained a lot of energy for its weight and lasted for a long time. Pemmican was the main food source for the fur trade and was a key part of the Metis economy.

By 1840, over 4000 Metis in the Red River area. They did not legally own the land, as it was technically owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company. Troubles a brewing.