1. Fur Trade: Phase Four The Drive West 1760-1821
Social Studies 7

2. The Drive West New France became a British colony in 1763
The North West Company (NWC) formed
A trade in pemmican developed
Territorial expansion occurred
The Metis people developed a distinct culture at Red River
Missionaries esablished contact with First Nations people in the West.

3. New France became British!!!
The entire fur trade became run under the British Mercantile system.
This was the beginning of an economic shift (change)
The French fur trade relied on furs, while the British were more land hungry; they wanted to farm for resources.
Eventually, farming pushed the fur trade, and the people who made their living from it, off the land.

4. North West Company (NWC)
Once New France became British, the British merchants took over the fur trade network out of Montreal.
They competed with the HBC as ‘independents’
The eventually united to form the NWC
Competition between the two companies drove the fur trade west, looking for new land, new resources and new FN to trade with.

5. Pemmican Trade
As the fur trade moved west, distance between new locations and shipping points grew further apart.
Metis people Cree, Nakoda, and Blackfoot supplied a food that could last long without spoiling…pemmican

6. Territorial Expansion
Westward movement of the Fur Trade moved workers west
This included the Cree, Nakoda and Anishinabe.
Francophone Metis people who worked for the NWC found a central location in the new land; Red River (present day Manitoba)

7. Metis Red River Culture
Metis brought culture to the new Red River settlement.
Became key to the fur trade
Interpreters, guides, traders, provisioners and carters.

8. Missionaries Make Contact
New First Nations groups in the west were converted to Christianity by Missionaries.

9. Meet the Métis
The first Métis families had a First Nations mother and a French father.
After HBC moved into the Hudson Bay in 1670, Scottish Métis arose.
By the 1800’s Métis people had strong Canadien, Scottish and First Nations roots.

10. Métis Goods
Red River cart is the best-known symbol of Metis culture. It was used to haul belongings and goods over long distances.
The design resembled carts used in Quebec and on the Scottish highlands.
They were light, but strong and were built without using nails.

11. Red River Cart

12. Métis Sash The sash had many uses: Sling to lift heavy objects
Key holder
Emergency first aid kit
Towel
Keep backs warm while on canoe
Rope
Ceremonial occasions

13. Métis Sash