which first recognized the great potential in earnings regarding the fur trade. At first, landfalls by the fishing groups were sporadic. However, these landfalls would quickly evolve into regular seasonal camps with a keen eye centered upon opening up the fur trade of the New World. According to Eric R. Wolf, author of People and the People Without History, “the North American fur trade began when these fishermen started to barter for fur with the local Algonkins.” And, once the “Iberian maritime hegemony in the Atlantic” came to an end, colonization of the New World began with a particular interest towards setting up trade systems to harvest the fur. In the north, the French were in control of the trade, while to the south the Dutch—who were replaced by the British in 1644—were in control. Hence, as Wolf further points out, “from the beginning…the fur trade was carried on in the context of competition between two states.” And, as one would assume, this competition would forever alter the course of events in the New World. The fur trade was the largest driving influence that pushed European exploration and expansion westward into the interior of North America. According to Wolf, its impact brought about sweeping change that the natives were to feel the most. Furthermore, the fur trade was rssponsible for a complete remodeling of Indian society. As trade demand increased, Native Americans had to adjust their societies to meet the European need. This meant an increased competition among the Indian nations which often would culminate in war. In turn, war could entirely decimate one population, force others to leave their lands, and strengthen another nation. Clearly, as the above section notes, the European desire for fur proved to be the undoing for the traditional Native American way of life. In the French dominated areas, as noted previously, it was the ...
