The Fur Trading Battles

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about Fur Trade Competition and Expansion. During the time of The American Revolution and the loyalists arriving going on, the British North America's administrators we're preoccupied. The fur trade was running in the background of everything going on. The French and the British had set up different types of fur trading when it was popular. This time was around the time when the Hudson Bay Company first started near the Hudson Bay; 1670. The HBC traders in the north would stay and wait to trade. While the HBC traders in Montreal (South) went out to find a trade with the First Nations. These systems continued even after the American Revolution and when the British took over New France in 1760 (90 years later). The South Montreal traders we're now owned in a partnership by the English and the Scottish. But still fought with each other and the HBC Montreal's about the best furs. The North West Company was created in 1776 by some Montreal fur traders who wanted to cooperate and fight against the HBC together. They dominated the beautiful fur trade in just 7 short years (1783). They had great success due to their great accessibility to the very rich furs around the area of Lake Athabasca. These weren't just rich furs, they we're the top of the line furs. The North West Company made a lot of money off of these top quality furs, even though they had to transport these furs across the continent. HBC didn't pay very much to transport, but NWC was more profitable due to their furs. The HBC decided to leave their post because of their profitable opponents, and opened a post in the West. The NWC was so good at their fur trading because of the Metis. Metis traders are already special in the industry of fur trade. Their fathers French Coureurs de Bois or Scottish traders, and their mothers First Nations. So they had good experience with the industry. Most of these Metis people worked within the NWC, helping them become the top fur traders. This battle of the furs was gruesome, these traders traveled all across the continent to find the best furs to beat their opponents with. Alexander Mackenzie made it to the Artic Ocean in 1789, and to the Pacific Ocean in 1793 by overland journey. David Thompson and Simon Fraser established new fur trade areas west of the Rocky Mountains. This fur trading war ended but not without a ruthless fight. HBC won, and the companies joined under their name, even though NWC had dominated for many years. HBC was very smart, and tripped their opponents from underneath, and won. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about Fur Trade Competition and Expansion.