ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Fur trade in Montana

Okay, so imagine you have a teddy bear. That teddy bear is covered in fur, right? Well, a long time ago, people in Montana discovered they could use the fur from animals like beavers, foxes, and otters to make things like warm blankets and soft hats. They called this the fur trade.

The people who hunted these animals were called fur trappers. They would travel all over the state, looking for these animals to catch and sell their fur. They used special tools, like traps and snares, to catch them without hurting them too much.

Once they had caught the animals, the fur trappers would skin them and take the fur to a trading post. At the trading post, they would meet with people from other places who wanted to buy the fur. Sometimes they would trade the fur for other things, like guns, blankets, or beads.

The fur trade was very important in Montana, because it helped people make money and trade with others. But sometimes, too many animals were caught and killed for their fur, which made it harder for them to survive. Today, we try to be more careful about how we hunt and use animal fur, to make sure animals can keep living happily in their homes.