Fur Trade and Competition Presentation, Scaffolded Notes - Alberta 7 Social

The objective of this lesson is to introduce students to the fur trade, its key players and their interests, and the impact it had on North America as well as Canadian history. The focus here is to have students learn why different groups took an interest in the fur trade as well as how the fur trade changed Indigenous societies. 

This will build on prior knowledge students have gained about first contact in Canada, as well as the origins of both British and French establishments in North America.

7.1.4 assess, critically, the economic competition related to the control of the North American fur trade by exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:

• How did the First Nations, French, British and Métis peoples interact with each other as participants in the fur trade? (TCC, ER, LPP)
• How did the fur trade contribute to the foundations of the economy in North America? (ER, LPP, TCC)
• How was Britain’s interest in the fur trade different from that of New France? (TCC, ER, GC)