Fur Trade
When the Europeans came to America, there were fur-bearings animals everywhere. The best quality of furs came from the north, the reason why, is because in the north the animals needed a thicker coat to protect themselves from the harsher winter. The Indians were only hunting the fur-bearing animals for food, and for the fur for clothing, but since they didn't hunt them for sport the population of the animals remained fairly steady. Later on, when the Europeans arrived, they wanted as many furs as they could get, and soon after the population of animals declined greatly in many areas. The earliest fur traders in North America were French explorers and fishermen who arrived in what is now Eastern Canada during the early 1500's. Trade started after the French offered the Indians kettles, knives, and other gifts as a means to establish friendly relations. The Indians, in turn, gave pelts to the French. By the late 1500's, a great demand for fur had developed in Europe. This demand encouraged further exploration of North America. The demand for beaver increased rapidly in the early 1600's; when fashionable European men began to wear felt hats made from beaver fur. Such furs as fox, marten, mink, and otter also were traded.
Many young Frenchman liked to be coureurs des bois and voyageurs more than being a farmer. They preferred the free life in the forests to hard work on farms. The governor of New France, who wanted more farms, said they needed a license to go into the woods. Many of the young men went anyways even without permission. They then sold their furs to the Dutch and English traders. The fur trade led to conflict between France and Great Britain in America. Rivalries over trading alliances also arose among Indian tribes that wanted to obtain European goods. The fur trade promoted friendly relations between the Indians and white traders. However, it also brought Indian hostility toward white settlers because the clearing of land threatened the supply of fur-bearing animals. A company held a monopoly from the king. Traders had to sell their furs to the company for the company to ship the furs back to the mother country, France. The owners of the company shared the profits. Once the furs were in Europe, craftsmen made the furs into very fashionable hats and clothes. European business companies handled a large number of the furs shipped from North America during the 1600's and 1700's. Afterwards the storekeepers sold articles made from fur such as top hats to rich customers because of the very costly price.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1065
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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