Curriculum Based Activity #2
Grade 5: Local Aspects of The Fur Trade
Some excerpts from Suggested Activities / People & Stories of the Fur Trade
Many people overlook or are unaware of the local aspects of the fur trade. Hartney has a well-documented connection to this part of Canadian History. Between 1897 and 1858 various fur trade posts operated in the region and although very little trace of these facilities exists today several of the sites have been identified and the stories remain.
1. KL-021 Give examples of ways in which the fur trade operations were influenced by the land.
Visit Fort Desjarlais or view the site on Google Earth. Review the maps.
What factors would have influence the choice of location?
Examine its purpose.
Resources:
http://www.hartneyheritage.ca/heritage/forts/index.html
http://www.hartneyheritage.ca/documents/images/FortDesjarlaisArticles.pdf
2. KL-020 Locate on a map of Canada places and regions of historical significance to the fur trade and the Métis Nation.
Study local maps to identify the ways in which the Hartney Area Posts were connected to the rest of the territory.
Resources:
http://www.hartneyheritage.ca/maps/index.html
3. KH-032 Relate stories of the people and events of the fur trade.
Resources:
http://www.hartneyheritage.ca/documents/images/FortDesjarlaisArticles.pdf
http://www.hartneyheritage.ca/documents/index.html
http://vantagepoints.ca/stories/john-pritchard/
Activity
Students listen to a reading from a primary source document that describes aspects of daily life and challenges for people who lived during the fur-trade era. Students discuss what it would have been like for various groups living at this time in Canadian history and the advantages and disadvantages of using primary source documents.
• Use the story of John Pritchard or excerpts from any of the above sources.
http://vantagepoints.ca/stories/john-pritchard/