1. Why was the fur trade so important

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1. Why was the fur trade so important?
The fur trade was a way for the King of France
and for French merchants (businessmen) to make
money from the colony in New France. If there had
been no way to make money in New France then the
French would have abandoned it.
2. How did the fur trade operate?
The French made several attempts to set up
trading posts close to the ocean where natives
would come and trade their furs with them. The
merchants would ship the furs out to France where
they would be made into expensive clothing for
the wealthy.
Fur trading posts and the years they were
established
Tadoussac 1600 1610 (failed) near the mouth of
the Saguenay River Port Royal 1605 1607 (fail
ed) in Nova Scotia
Quebec 1608 SUCCESS!!
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Competition
English colonies in the south (modern day United
States) began competing for the fur trade, which
reduced French profits. This forced the French
traders to change their tactics. Instead of
waiting for the natives to bring the furs to
their trading posts, traders began traveling
inland to the natives communities and buying the
furs directly from them. This cut the English out
of the fur trade.
3. Who was involved in the fur trade?
a) The Company of One Hundred Associates This
company was created in 1627 and received its
royal charter in 1628. Its role was to govern
New France and have a monopoly over the fur
trade. In return the company was to send settlers
to the colony and support them while they tried
to build new communities.
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b) Coureurs des bois translated means runners
in the woods who were French settlers who
traveled inland to the natives communities to
purchase the furs. They would then take the furs
back to the trading posts.
Think for a minute how hard would it be to
travel 100s of miles through the woods in all
seasons. What would the coureurs des bois have to
carry with them?
c) Voyageurs The voyageurs were the settlers who
picked up the furs in huge batches from the
trading posts inland, and traveled along rivers
in canoes to take the furs to major trading posts
in Quebec and later Montreal where they would be
shipped to France.