The historical geography of the fur trade of the Little North and its expansion into the East Winnipeg Country to 1821

Abstract

This thesis examines the historical geography of the fur trade of the Little North and its expansion into the East Winnipeg Country to 1821. It focuses on the physical and human factors that shaped the expansion of European fur trade settlements from the shores of Lake Superior and Hudson and James Bays to the country east of Lake Winnipeg. In so doing, it provides new insights into the trade that was carried into the region by Hudson's Bay Company and St. Lawrence-based traders. Fur trade posts and transport routes have been located in this poorly known region and, in addition, this study details the individual and institutional factors that dictated the development of the fur trade in the region.