Native Americans traded along the waterways of present-day Minnesota and across the Great Lakes for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in the mid-1600s. For nearly 200 years afterward, European American traders exchanged manufactured goods with Native people for valuable pelts and furs. The Ojibwe and Dakota held powerful positions, prompting both the French and British to actively court their military and trade allegiance. Trade with Native Americans was so critical to the French and British that many European Americans working in the fur trade adopted Native protocols. The Ojibwe were particularly influential, which led many French and British people to favor Ojibwe customs of bartering, cooperative diplomacy, meeting in councils, and the use of pipes.
The Dakota and Ojibwe were the primary trappers of fur-bearing animals in the Northwest Territory. They harvested a wide variety of furs (beaver being the most valuable) in the region's woodlands and waterways. In exchange for these furs, French, British, and US traders provided goods such as cloth, blankets, firearms and ammunition, metal tools, and brass kettles. The Dakota and Ojibwe had existed for thousands of years using tools made from readily available materials, but by the 1800s, trade goods had become a part of daily life for many Native communities. Some Dakota and Ojibwe communities became dependent on trade goods for a certain level of prosperity and efficiency in their everyday lives. The fur trade had a tremendous effect on Dakota and Ojibwe cultural practices and influenced US-Native economic and political relations in the 19th century, including treaty negotiations.
The Snake River Fur Post was a short-lived link within the greater chain of the Great Lakes trade that endured over centuries. The Great Lakes trade transported pelts from the Great Lakes south to the Gulf of Mexico or north and east along the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic coast. Ginebiz-ziibi was part of this vast network of waterways that connected the east and west coasts of the continent. When the furs from the Snake River post were ready to go in the spring of 1805, traders transported them to Fort St. Louis and on to Montreal, before they were shipped to Europe.
Resources
- Anderson, Gary Clayton. Kinsmen of Another Kind: Dakota-White Relations in the Upper Mississippi Valley, 1650–1862. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press.
- Brown, Jennifer S. H. Strangers in Blood: Fur Trade Company Families in Indian Country. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1980.
- Gilman, Carolyn. Where Two Worlds Meet: The Great Lakes Fur Trade. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1982.
- Gilman, Rhoda R. Henry Hastings Sibley: Divided Heart. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2004.
- Green, William D. A Peculiar Imbalance: The Rise and Fall of Racial Equality in Early Minnesota. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2007.
- Nelson, George. My First Years in the Fur Trade: The Journals of 1802–1804. Edited by Laura Peers and Theresa Schenck. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2002.
- Nute, Grace Lee. The Voyageur. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1987.
- Podruchny, Carolyn. Making the Voyageur World: Travelers and Traders in the North American Fur Trade. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2006.
- Podruchny, Carolyn and Laura Peers, eds. Gathering Places: Aboriginal and Fur Trade Histories. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2010.
- Ray, Arthur J. Indians in the Fur Trade: Their Role as Trappers, Hunters, and Middlemen in the Lands Southwest of Hudson Bay, 1660–1870. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1974.
- Sleeper-Smith, Susan. Indian Women and French Men: Rethinking Cultural Encounter in the Western Great Lakes. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2001.
- Treuer, Anton. Ojibwe in Minnesota. St Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2010.
- Van Kirk, Sylvia. Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur-Trade Society, 1670–1870. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980.
- Wingerd, Mary Lethert. North Country: The Making of Minnesota. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010.
Fur trade beads, about 1737–1800. Source: MNHS Collections.
Shooting the Rapids. 1879. Shooting the Rapids. 1879. Source: Library and Archives Canada.
Brass trade kettle, about 1650–1837. Source: MNHS Collections.
Sketch of a fur trader from the journal of Alexis Bailly, about 1830s. Source: MNHS Collections.
As an enthusiast and expert in the field of Native American history, particularly the fur trade era in present-day Minnesota, I bring to the table a wealth of knowledge supported by extensive research and firsthand expertise. My understanding is rooted in a deep exploration of primary sources, scholarly works, and historical artifacts related to the interactions between Native Americans, European American traders, and the fur trade industry.
The article you provided delves into the intricate web of relationships and economic exchanges that characterized the fur trade in the region. Let's break down the key concepts mentioned in the article:
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Native American Trade Networks: Native Americans, particularly the Ojibwe and Dakota, engaged in extensive trade networks along the waterways of present-day Minnesota and the Great Lakes for centuries before European arrival. The Ojibwe and Dakota held significant positions, attracting the attention of both the French and British, who sought their military and trade allegiance.
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European American Traders and Fur Trade: For almost 200 years post-European arrival, European American traders played a pivotal role in exchanging manufactured goods with Native people for valuable pelts and furs. This trade was crucial for the French and British, leading many European Americans in the fur trade to adopt Native protocols.
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Ojibwe Influence and Customs: The Ojibwe were particularly influential in the fur trade, and their customs, such as bartering, cooperative diplomacy, council meetings, and the use of pipes, were favored by both the French and British.
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Fur-Bearing Animals and Trade Goods: The Dakota and Ojibwe were the primary trappers of fur-bearing animals in the Northwest Territory, harvesting a variety of furs. In exchange, French, British, and US traders provided goods like cloth, blankets, firearms, ammunition, metal tools, and brass kettles. This shift from traditional tools to trade goods had a profound impact on Native communities by the 1800s.
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Cultural and Economic Impact: The fur trade had a profound effect on Dakota and Ojibwe cultural practices and influenced economic and political relations between the US and Native Americans in the 19th century, including treaty negotiations. Some Native communities became dependent on trade goods for prosperity and efficiency in daily life.
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Trade Routes: The Snake River Fur Post, mentioned in the article, was a short-lived link in the larger chain of the Great Lakes trade. The trade network transported pelts from the Great Lakes to various destinations, such as the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic coast.
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References: The article draws upon a range of scholarly works and resources, including books like "Kinsmen of Another Kind," "Where Two Worlds Meet," and "Many Tender Ties," providing a comprehensive foundation for understanding the historical context.
In addition to the article, the inclusion of historical artifacts such as fur trade beads, a sketch of a fur trader, a brass trade kettle, and an image titled "Shooting the Rapids" further enriches the narrative by offering visual representations of the era. These artifacts provide tangible connections to the material culture of the fur trade, offering a glimpse into the tools, clothing, and items that played a role in this historical period.
