James Mc Gill 1744 1813 James Mc Gill

James Mc. Gill (1744 -1813) James Mc. Gill was a liberal merchant who argued for the establishment of the Legislative Assembly, where he held office for many years. James Mc. Gill settled in the Province of Quebec shortly after Conquest and made his fortune in the fur trade. Mc. Gill left behind a settlement to establish Lower Canada’s first university, Mc. Gill University, founded in 1821.

Economic Changes and the Fur Trade 1791 -1840 THE DEMANDS AND STRUGGLES OF NATIONHOOD

Video and Questions http: //www. hbcheritage. ca/hbcheritage/learning/videos/home Answer the following questions: 1. Beaver furs were used for beaver hats and fur coats. Where was the market for furs? 2. Over time the company started moving elsewhere to broaden its reach. Which part of the country did traders begin to settle?

The Fur trade In 1670, the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) began operating trading posts along the coast of the Hudson’s Bay. By 1779, a new trading company from Montreal was established, called the Northwest Company. English and French competed to trade goods with Aboriginals in exchange for furs.

European Markets During the 17 th and 18 th century, European fashion centered around fur. The fashion industry became the primary market for beaver and other furs. Furs were plentiful in North America, so people from Britain and France travelled over to make profits.

Exploration of the West Fur was the region’s main export until the 19 th (1800) century. The Northwest company (NWC) and the Hudson’s Bay company (HBC) competed intensely, going even further west for furs. European settlers began to settle in the West, contributing to the formation of Canada.

The Métis What can you infer from this picture? “The Trapper’s Bride”- Alfred Miller (1850) • Métis- French and Aboriginal people that end up in Red River, Winnipeg and develop a distinct political and social group.

Aboriginal Women and the Fur trade Aboriginal women played an important role in the fur trade. • They helped with essential daily life tasks: setting up camp, making moccasins, netting snowshoes, cooking meals and much more. • Women worked at trading posts and helped translate for the traders. • Traders married Aboriginal women to strengthen ties with Aboriginal nations.

Growing Competition Travelling west meant increasing transportation costs. Competition and rising costs forced the Hudson’s Bay Company and the Northwest Company to merge in 1821. After 1821, no more of the fur trade was coming out of the ports of Montreal

The Decline of the Fur Trade The fur trade declined in the 1800 s due to: 1) Increased competition of traders (HBC and the NWC merge in 1821) 2) The lack of beaver pelts 3) The rise of the timber trade- new export markets to Europe.

Meanwhile in Europe… The Napoleonic wars break out in 1803 until 1815. • Britain and France begin to engage in war and a new export markets emerges in British North America (BNA). • Timber is needed to construct ships for the war, so Great Britain begins to import BNA’s timber. - As a result, fur is no longer the colony’s main export to Great Britain.

Homework Cause and effect of the decline in the fur trade.