North American fur trade

The North American fur trade was a system of trading furs and other animal skins between Native American people and settlers from Europe. People wanted the pelts, or fur, from animals like beavers, foxes, and otters to make hats, coats, and other clothing items. The Native Americans would hunt for these animals and then trade them for things like blankets, guns, and kettles (pots for cooking). This went on for centuries and was an important part of early Canadian, American, and French history.