Fur trade

The fur trade (also called the Indian trade) was a huge part of the early history of contact in North America between European-Americans and American Indians (now often called Native Americans in the United States and First Nations in Canada). European traders and trappers explored the continent and established relationships with native communities, hoping to obtain the best pelts—beaver was especially prized—for European markets. Native hunters exchanged pelts for European-manufactured items that were desired in their communities, such as metal tools, firearms, clothing, and alcohol.

References

• Bernard DeVoto (1947) Across the Wide Missouri.