Socials 10-2: Intro to the fur trade

Today we had an introductory lesson on the fur trade.  We started by getting an orientation to the map of Canada and the area known as the Northwest.  We also sited some of the major bays and lakes, noting the importance of rivers as lines of communication in an area that had no roads or railways.

Next we looked at some characteristics of the fur trade as carried out by the HBC and the NW Co.  We will do more comparing next class.  For homework, I asked that you review the info on the york boat and the canoe, and then complete a simple table showing the pros and cons (or, advantages and disadvantages) of each.  Two points in each square would be good.

1. York Boats: Info Page

2. Canoes: Info Page


For more info on the canoe, here is a link to an interactive page on the NW Co

canot du maitre