Jenny's Socials 9 Portfolio

First Contact:

Fair Trade and the Fur Trade

 

Canada is and perhaps will be the only country ever to be founded because of a fashion trend. You know, of course, what I am speaking of. The beaver hat.

 

Mr. Chubb demonstrated to us the high value of beaver pelts in Europe during that time. In Europe from 1620 to 1840, a made beaver-the pelt of a prepared adult male beaver-is equal in value to two hatchets, a formidable price. He explained the fashion fever that took hold of Europe and their eagarness to trade with the Natives of North America which eventually lead to the formation of the Hudson Bay Company.

 

The HBC was founded by Prince Rupert who sought profit above all else. Him along with Charles II ( Charles the first's son) saw the riches that await them accrose the Atlantic

and decided that it was their's to claim.

 

Soon the HBC met the Indigenous People of North America and the two groups struck up trade. One of the most notable exchanges between the First Nations and the HBC was the Point Blanket and the Beaver Pelt. 

 

So, Mr. Chubb questions us, is value of the two products equal? How do you decide the value of products?

 

We were sorted into groups and told to read-over two pieces of text, one written in favor of the Western Cree and the Beaver Pelt, the other in favor of the HBC and the Point Blanket. After painsaking note-taking and anology, the class was sent off in their respective groups to write a judges report on our belief of whether it was a fair trade for both the Western Cree and the HBC.

 

The link to my group's judges' report is below.