Guiding Questions for Aboriginal Fur Trade:
- How were Aboriginal people depicted in early accounts of the fur trade?
They were often portrayed as to have minor roles and becoming obsessed with European hunting technology and becoming useless without it. Also said that would have starved without the help of the travellers and begged for their help.
- What does newer evidence show to be more accurate about Aboriginals in the fur trade?
That in contrast to the early depictions it was the complete reverse, the aboriginals were keeping the Europeans alive. Keeping them alive by hunting, fishing for them.
- In what ways did Europeans adapt to Aboriginal economic traditions?
They had to learn of their culture, language, and lifeways. The Europeans had to work and understand the aboriginals as they had been there hunting long before the Europeans came along.
- Why did Europeans have to adapt to Aboriginal commerce?
They had to adapt and learn of the aboriginal barter system because they knew more of it than the Europeans themselves. The aboriginals cared about beaver skin amount not standards and so the Europeans had to learn.
- How would you characterize Cree and Assiniboine economic ability and methods?
Both were very flexible with change whether it be with technology or their habitat. This made it easier for them to be able to accept HBC and their trading ways.
- After 1670, how did the Cree and Assiniboine show their economic flexibility?
They both took the position of middle men in HBC. They expanded their fur trade with the help of Europeans into the northwest.
- How would you describe the Cree and Assiniboine inland trade strategies?
They were smart and took positions near the York factory. They held the “upper hand” in the trade and controlled most of the trading rules. They traded with independent groups inland also. They also traded a lot with the French.
- How and why did the Aboriginal middlemen’s role change in the late 18th century?
HBC started to make more posts to trade inland making it harder for the aboriginals to hold a higher rank than them in the trading business. So they began to focus on the plain resources and buffalo. They switched their trade to dried meat.
- How did the Cree and Assiniboine retain independence from European technologies?
Hunting buffalo kept them separate from the Europeans. They didn’t use guns to kill the buffalo nor any other western arms.
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