Transcript Fur Trade in Wisconsin

Main Idea Notes on the Wisconsin Fur
Trade
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Priests – conversion to Catholicism
Explorers – natural resources/trade route east
(Asia)
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Had heard and seen gold/riches coming back with
the Spanish so the French too were intrigued.
Jean Nicolet (1634)
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Interacted with the Native tribes he encountered –
wanted to make peace with them
Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Potawatomi
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Became trade partners
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French learned their language and culture
Metis – French and Indian babies
Traded furs for European goods
 Improved Indian farming
 Helped hunters
 Native philosophy: the creator brings the animal to an
individual as a gift and the animal willingly sacrifices its
life so the person may eat and be clothed – regardless
European goods improved efficiency
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Had to meet the demand (almost impossible)
Depletion of resources
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Hunting parties from one tribe move into hunting grounds of
neighboring tribes = conflict
Tribes split and spread out – altering the sense of community.
Male hunters were absent from families for long periods of
time – women adopted male tasks.
 Women were not asked for advice as much as they used to; tribes
became more male dominated (Americanization)
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Introduction of alcohol
 No tolerance and quickly became addicted.
 Fur trade depleted natural resources, and Indian communities
suffered great loss due to European diseases, many became
impoverished = turned to alcohol to forget their problems.
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1740s – British traders arrived and challenged
the French (French and Indian War)
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British defeated the French in 1759 (took over the fur
trade)
 WI Indians resented this – French understood the
Native practice of gift-giving and good relations
 British used fear tactics and threats (tyranny)
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Pontiac organized Indian groups of the
Western Great Lakes in a rebellion against the
British (no Menominee or Ho-Chunk)
Captured many British forts but could not hold
onto them.
British passed the Proclamation of 1763 –
forbade colonists from settling west of the
Appalachians (largely ignored)
Reintroduction of the French practice of giftgiving, relaxing the restrictions on selling guns
and ammunition to tribes.
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American government took control of the fur
trade (government-run posts)
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Americans didn’t know how to cultivate
relationships with WI Indians
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Did not work as the old system continued to be
utilized under the table.
Charged high prices for their hunting supplies
(impoverishing the natives more)
Freely traded alcohol for furs (alcohol abuse)
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1830s – population of some fur bearing animals
were dwindling.
Beaver were nearly extinct/once fashionable was
now out of style.
 Lumber was the next go to, until deforestation took
its toll on those resources
 Predominantly lead mining became popular in parts
of WI – other resources were mined as well.
 Lead prices dropped = miners turned to farming
 Rich soil brought settlers to WI (wanted land –
Native land)
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