Effects Of Fur Trade

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The Europeans arrived at the continent of North America and began to colonize. The Europeans arrival to the area that would become modern day Canada was a cataclysmic event. Their initial impact consisted of the fur trade and the destruction of resources as a result of the fur trade. Trading led to long term alcohol abuse among some Native tribes, increasing dependency on trade, and negative effects for the generations to follow. During Trade they also brought diseases which would eradicate entire tribes from the country. A dependency on the Europeans was developed from trading, forcing the Native American’s to allow missionaries to their settlements. After they tried religion, political and sociological ideas were implemented and carried out …show more content…

It caused conflict between tribes as they fought over areas of land that would provide them with the most furs (Effects of the Fur Trade). The fighting over land eventually lead to the death of numerous Native Americans. The only reason conflict arose was from European greed. Furs were the only thing they began to care about Natives became dependent on the Europeans for more than just iron tools and cooking utensils, they also began trade for firearms and ammunition. Also, as a result of devoting time to getting furs, they had to trade for European food to sustain themselves through the winter (Effects of the Fur Trade). Not only had the Europeans drastically affected the ecosystem in the hunting of the furs, they also started to effect the Native American way of life. This changed the habits of some tribes from regular nomadic movements to the claiming of territories to further their stake in the ever growing fur trade. After trading for some items became less useful, Europeans started to trade alcohol which would have lasting consequences present even in today’s Indigenous people (Effects of the Fur …show more content…

Alcohol was foreign to the people of Canada and the effect it would have on them and the rest of their culture would be devastating. Though some Frenchmen deemed the trading of spirits to the Natives dishonourable, there were some who only sought the extra profit (The alcohol problem). Europeans gave alcohol in large amounts to people who had never seen nor consumed the substance and took advantage of these people. There was an attempt to abolish the trade on both sides but the trading continued regardless of any actions attempted (The alcohol problem). They were not successful being ignored because of the prospective profits to be received from trading alcohol to the Indians. An anonymous observer during the fur trade wrote, “Some Frenchmen have admitted to getting 15,000 livres worth of beaver skins out of a single barrel of spirits worth no more than 200 livres” (The alcohol problem). This illustrates how disgraceful and unfair the trading that occurred during the time became. Lives were destroyed by Europeans trading alcohol, but alcohol was not the only deadly thing they had brought across the

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