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Treaties

Traditional Games

Fur Trade

Northwest Rebellion

First Nations Past and Present

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Lesson 2#                            Fur Trade History                                     

SUBJECT:  Language Arts/Social Studies                                        

TOPIC:  Four periods of the fur trade.                                                       
TIME FRAME:  1-2 classes                                                

COMMON ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS:  Communication, Independent Learning, Personal and      Social Values.

MATERIALS:   Question sheets.

1. OBJECTIVES:          Saskatchewan Social Studies Objectives
                                         Saskatchewan Language Art Objectives
                                 Saskatchewan Health Objectives

Cognitive:  Students will...

- generate topics and ideas by brainstorming of ideas why they think fur traders came to this country.

- know that interactions of First Nations people and traders resulted in new identities.

Physical:  Students will...

- participate in class and small group discussions and collaborative tasks.

- demonstrate increasing use of speech and writing to generate, clarify and extend ideas.

Affective/Spiritual:  Students will...

- develop their abilities to recognize and accept well-supported differences of opinions and ideas.

2. RESOURCES:

http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca/parkrec/fort/1846/tradhist.html
-This website contains information about the history of the fur trade.
http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca/parkrec/fort/1846/goodstrd.html
-This website contains information about various goods that were traded in the fur trade era.

3. PURPOSE/TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn the different eras of the fur trade and some reasons why the fur trading process began.  The history of the fur trade in Canada can be divided into four periods: 

- First period (1600-1760) was characterized by French-English rivalry.
- Second period (1760-1821) was the era of westward expansion.
- Third period (1821-1870) was the high point of the fur trade under the Hudson's Bay Company monopoly.
- Fourth period (1870 -onwards) can be called the "Canadian Period".

In addition, there were three factors that led to the development of large scale fur trading:  - first factor was the bountiful supply of furs in North America.  
- second factor was the growing demand for furs in Europe. 
- third factor which contributed to the success of the fur trade was the existence of a well established trading and fur gathering system.

When the Europeans came to Saskatchewan, they brought with them their own technologies.  For example:

               - tools, weapons, and utensils made of various metals;
               - fabric for blankets and clothes;
               - methods of constructing buildings; and
               - written language, books, education system

Explorers, fur traders, and early immigrants left their homes and came to Saskatchewan for a variety of reasons that may be identified as 'push' and pull' factors.

Push factors - war, poverty, religious problems, crowding and government decisions.

Pull factors - opportunity for employment, profits, adventure, free/cheap land, religious freedom, gold rush, join families already here and spread Christianity.

4. ACTIVITIES/IDEAS:

Brainstorm with students the origins of fur trading.  How do they think it all started.  Record answers on chalkboard.  Have the students research the website (located in Resources #1) and answer the questions on the worksheet. 

Trade Goods
*Have students research website #2.  This website contains Trade Goods that were utilized in the Fur Trade.  Students can choose one trade item and research it, illustrate it and present it to their peers.

5. EVALUATION:

Hudson's Bay Company Flag.  Parks Canada.