Indians would trade the pelts of small animals, such as mink, for knives and other iron-based products, or for textiles. Exchange at first was haphazard and it was only in the late sixteenth century, when the wearing of beaver hats became fashionable, that firms were established who dealt exclusively in furs.

What did they trade in the fur trade?

The major trade goods were woollen blankets, cotton and linen cloth, metal goods, firearms and fishing gear. Tobacco, alcohol, trade jewellery and other luxury items accounted for only ten percent of the goods traded. The fur traders received far more than furs from Native people.

Why was the fur trade so important to the Indians?

The fur trade was both very good and very bad for American Indians who participated in the trade. The fur trade gave Indians steady and reliable access to manufactured goods, but the trade also forced them into dependency on European Americans and created an epidemic of alcoholism.

What kind of pelts did the trappers use in the fur trade?

By establishing trade, French and European trappers made friends with the indigenous peoples around them. Canada History Project says the First Nations offered up a variety of pelts, ranging from fox and marten to mink and otter. In time, beaver pelts became especially desirable.

What was the result of the collapse of the fur trade?

By the middle of the 19th century, changing fashions in Europe brought about a collapse in fur prices. The American Fur Company and some other companies failed. Many Native American communities were plunged into long-term poverty and consequently lost much of the political influence they once had.

How did the North West Company persuade the Indians to trade?

The mixed-blood children of marriages in other tribes usually grew up with their mother’s people. Traders, especially those working for the North West Company, often used liquor to persuade Indians to trade. Sometimes, liquor was used to cheat Indians out of their furs.