Artifact Project

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Artifact Project

• Red River Cart

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Introduction

• In the early 1800s, people needed a way to carry
  around their belongings. This is the reason why
  they created the Red River cart.

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What is it?

• Most important item in the Canadian settlement
• Symbol of the Metis people

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What Was it Used for?

• Carrying goods to and from the Hudsons Bay
  Company
• Transportation
• Farming
• Hunting
• Holding belongings of owner(s)

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What Was it Made of?

• Tied together pieces of wood with strips of
  buffalo hide
• Three foot wheels carved from large trees
• Wheels were wrapped in raw hide to prevent
  cracking
• Had 6-9 spokes

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How Did it Assist the Fur Trade?

• Transported goods (furs, pemmican, other goods)
  to and from the Hudsons Bay Company

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Is it Still used Today?

• The Red River cart is not generally used today,
  but over the summer, some Metis people build a
  few carts for a traditional trip from America, to
  Manitoba.

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Other Information

• When traveling to the Hudsons Bay Company, the
  carts would be lined up and tied together with
  buffalo hides
• Only one ox had to pull the carts when they were
  tied together
• If the voyageurs were in danger, they would
  travel side-by-side
• Carts could also become rafts if the wheels were
  taken off

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Other Information

• The cart wheels all had their own squeal
• The people never put oil on the wheels because it
  would collect dirt and clog the hubs

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Short Answer Quiz

• Click here to do quiz

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References

• www.metisnation.ca
• www.johncrittenden.com
• www.glinx.com
• Click here to do the red river cart quiz!