North American Fur Trade

In this episode, we explore the North American fur trade and its sweeping effects on Indigenous nations, European empires, and the continent’s environment. The discussion focuses on how global demand for beaver felt hats and sea otter furs reshaped power across North America, from the Beaver Wars and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s expansion to the Hudson Bay Company’s trade networks with the Cree and Assiniboin. We also examine the Russian American Company’s violent push into Alaska, the resistance of the Tlingit, and the ways Indigenous peoples acted not only as traders and military powers but also as consumers and diplomatic actors. Finally, the episode considers the ecological consequences of overhunting beavers and how their near-disappearance gave way to modern conservation and restoration efforts.