Chapter 14
What really interested me in this half of the chapter was the section about the fur trade in
global commerce. Here is a little summary. Agricultural expansion diminished furs in the
Americas, and the Little Ice Age increased its demand. The French, British and Dutch
competed for furs due to its increasing value. Natives worked to obtain the furs in exchange
for goods, and represented a cheap labor force. The environmental price for furs was high:
depletion of species was eminent. This trade was at first beneficial for Natives. European
goods were beneficial for natives who could distribute them as gifts to gain influence locally,
and many of the items they received were very useful. However, trade carried diseases,
which decimated populations and led to mourning wars, where natives actually started
stealing people from other tribes to support their depleting numbers. Another problem was
also the dependence on european goods. Traditional crafts were lost because profit and
living centered on the fur trade. Women spent more time processing furs than producing
household items. And since many of the items the Natives found useful from the Europeans
they could not make themselves, they became dependent. Other problems plagued the fur
trade, such as Europeans taking advantage of intoxicated Natives. The Russian empire was
also a major source of furs. Native Siberian populations, like the Native Americans were also
decimated because of the unprecedented contact with foreigners
global commerce. Here is a little summary. Agricultural expansion diminished furs in the
Americas, and the Little Ice Age increased its demand. The French, British and Dutch
competed for furs due to its increasing value. Natives worked to obtain the furs in exchange
for goods, and represented a cheap labor force. The environmental price for furs was high:
depletion of species was eminent. This trade was at first beneficial for Natives. European
goods were beneficial for natives who could distribute them as gifts to gain influence locally,
and many of the items they received were very useful. However, trade carried diseases,
which decimated populations and led to mourning wars, where natives actually started
stealing people from other tribes to support their depleting numbers. Another problem was
also the dependence on european goods. Traditional crafts were lost because profit and
living centered on the fur trade. Women spent more time processing furs than producing
household items. And since many of the items the Natives found useful from the Europeans
they could not make themselves, they became dependent. Other problems plagued the fur
trade, such as Europeans taking advantage of intoxicated Natives. The Russian empire was
also a major source of furs. Native Siberian populations, like the Native Americans were also
decimated because of the unprecedented contact with foreigners
I think this section really stood out to me because of the question that was asked in class during
the last lecture: Was this process a cultural genocide? I forgot if this is a midterm question, but I
think it’s important to answer anyway. And I think this section has a lot of insight to offer on that.
Due to this contact with other countries, due to globalization, Native Americans got involved in
trade that made them focus most of their energies into one industry. The fact that they lost their
own crafts to process fur is directly related to a loss of culture in the group. Usually, crafts produced
by each nation change anyway, but this section repeatedly shows how dependent the Native
Americans had become on items that they can’t produce themselves. This makes them a lot
easier to take advantage of. It also leads to a further loss of culture because the trade not only
made them lose what they previously had, it prevented them from adding new skills and crafts
to their culture as well. Certain parts of the section can testify to why this exchange is also a
genocide and not only a cultural one, but that is more debatable.
the last lecture: Was this process a cultural genocide? I forgot if this is a midterm question, but I
think it’s important to answer anyway. And I think this section has a lot of insight to offer on that.
Due to this contact with other countries, due to globalization, Native Americans got involved in
trade that made them focus most of their energies into one industry. The fact that they lost their
own crafts to process fur is directly related to a loss of culture in the group. Usually, crafts produced
by each nation change anyway, but this section repeatedly shows how dependent the Native
Americans had become on items that they can’t produce themselves. This makes them a lot
easier to take advantage of. It also leads to a further loss of culture because the trade not only
made them lose what they previously had, it prevented them from adding new skills and crafts
to their culture as well. Certain parts of the section can testify to why this exchange is also a
genocide and not only a cultural one, but that is more debatable.
A note I want to make that is unrelated to anything previously said → Japan handled silver in
global commerce extremely well. The shogun used it to defeat feudal lords and unify the country,
they renewed forests and reduced the population, and agricultural and industrial enterprises were
invested in. All were very smart moves on Japan’s part, because this helped their economy prosper
and has brought them stability. I think maybe Spain didn’t handle it well enough because they were
too laid back and comfortable with how much silver they had discovered. They didn’t use the metal
productively, only leisurely. It was a bad decision as a nation. In China, however, I wouldn’t blame
the people so much as the government. Who decided that taxes should be paid in silver? I guess
maybe it wasn’t so bad in China. China only specialized in certain goods by region. I’m only
concerned about the environmental effects.
global commerce extremely well. The shogun used it to defeat feudal lords and unify the country,
they renewed forests and reduced the population, and agricultural and industrial enterprises were
invested in. All were very smart moves on Japan’s part, because this helped their economy prosper
and has brought them stability. I think maybe Spain didn’t handle it well enough because they were
too laid back and comfortable with how much silver they had discovered. They didn’t use the metal
productively, only leisurely. It was a bad decision as a nation. In China, however, I wouldn’t blame
the people so much as the government. Who decided that taxes should be paid in silver? I guess
maybe it wasn’t so bad in China. China only specialized in certain goods by region. I’m only
concerned about the environmental effects.
Those are all the things that stood out to me in this chapter. It’s not a lot, but it was a short section.
Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! :)
Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! :)
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