HIS263Y1 Lecture Notes - British Subject, Northwest Passage, Northern Ontario
Document Summary
New france faces competition in the fur trade from britain 1670. English already knew about this route from when they looked for the northwest passage. 1670 charles ii granted the trading monopoly to his cousin prince rupert: this creates the hudson"s bay company. French face competition from hudson"s bay and from rivals based in new york: the french have to respond to this. French respond to the hbc by pushing their trade inland. Mangeurs de lard: part-timer fur traders, just winter in the interior. Often adopt quasi-native lifestyles: hunting, fishing, often married native women. Married in indigenous ways, not in church. Economic and cultural brokers between europeans and indigenous societies. Knowledge of geography, how to treat the pelts. Allowed access to the woman"s kin networks that have knowledge or can help with trading. Metis people who as a result form these marriages.
