Adventures in the Fur Trade

The term Fur Trade is inherently Eurocentric as it only refers to what Europeans were trading for and what Europeans needed. In the 1600s and 1700s, Europeans traded cloth, rum, and weapons for furs which they sent back to Europe to make hats and other clothing. Looking at this from a Native American perspective, trade was varied vital to survival.

The Fur Trade was an important part of United States history and is crucial to understanding European/Native American relations in Early America. By teaching it as the Fur Trade and neglecting the Native American perspective, we remain entrenched in denying Native American presence and autonomy in our history.