Life at a trading post
In the early days of colonization, the first settlements along the St. Lawrence River were primarily trading posts. This was the case of Trois-Rivières, which was founded in 1634, but was already known as a trading site. A commander was in charge of the post. A fortified “habitation” was built to provide housing for the inhabitants and to store merchandise.
A trading site
The post became a meeting point for Native nations (the Hurons, Algonquins and Montagnais). They came to barter their furs for European products such as metal axes, swords, blankets, knives, and copper pots.
Relays on the territory
Starting in the 1670s, a large number of trading posts were established further inland, around the Great Lakes. A trading post’s location was chosen based on two criteria: firstly and foremost, its proximity to navigable waterways, and secondly, its proximity to Native nations involved in the fur trade.
Author: Service national du Récit de l’univers social
See also – Traces of the past:
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