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Cris Peterson

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Birchbark Brigade: A Fur Trade History Hardcover – October 1, 2009

by Cris Peterson (Author)

4.6 23 ratings

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A history of the North American fur trade, based on primary sources. The North American fur trade, set in motion by the discovery of the New World in the fifteenth century, was this continent's biggest business for over three hundred years. Furs harvested by Ojibwa natives in the north woods ended up on the sleeves and hems of French princesses and Chinese emperors. Felt hats on the heads of every European businessman began as beaver pelts carried in birchbark canoes to trading posts dotting the wilderness. Iron tools, woolen blankets, and calico cloth manufactured in England found their way to wigwams along the remote rivers of North America. The fur trade influenced every aspect of lifefrom how Europeans related to the Indians, how and where settlements were built, to how our nation formed. Drawing on primary sources, including the diaries of Ojibwa, American, and French traders of the period, this Society of School Librarians International Honor Book gives readers a glimpse of a little-known story from our past.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

European fur trading in North America began early in the sixteenth century and ended when a nineteenth-century change in fashion made beaver hats passé. At its height, the fur trade was big business as well as a means of exploring North America and, eventually, opening the path to European settlement. The first half of Peterson’s well-researched account tightly packs a great deal of exploration (Columbus, Cabot, Cartier, Champlain, Joliet, Marquette, LaSalle, Duluth, Frontenac, Washington, Pontiac, Mackenzie) into six chapters. The second half employs firsthand accounts to discuss the voyageurs, settlers, and Native Americans in a considerably more involving manner. Throughout, black-and-white photos of sites and reproductions of period artwork, maps, and documents illustrate the text and sidebars. The extensive back matter includes a detailed time line, notes for the many quotes, a source bibliography, a suggested reading list, and descriptions of a dozen places to visit. This will fill a gap in many history collections. Grades 6-9. --Carolyn Phelan

Review

"The author's enthusiasm for her subject will communicate itself to readers, even those who never dreamed they'd be interested, making this the best kind of discovery. (time line, notes, bibliography, suggested reading, places to visit, index)" --Kirkus Reviews

"A well-researched account. . . . This will fill a gap in many history collections." --Booklist

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Calkins Creek; Illustrated edition (October 1, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 136 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159078426X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1590784266
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 17 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ NC1250L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 6 - 12
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.01 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.81 x 0.63 x 9.81 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,806,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #702 in Children's Exploration Books
- #868 in Children's American Revolution History (Books)
- #6,089 in Children's Transportation Books (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 23 ratings

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Kathy P.

It's OK

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2012

Verified Purchase

If you are new to reading of the fur trade era, this is a good first book to have & learn from, if you are advanced in your learning of the fur trade, I would not recommend this book then.

8 people found this helpful

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Leo A Keane

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2017

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The most concise and readable history of the fur trade I've come across.

2 people found this helpful

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Lisa S. Bircher

Birchbark brigade: A fur trade history

Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2009

I have never been a history buff. Indeed, most historical reading has caused me to fall fast asleep! However, this little book by Cris Peterson left me with a desire to know more about the fur trade and even an urge to plan my next vacation to include a location like Grand Portage or the Northwest Company Fur Post near Pine City, Minnesota. Peterson brings the historical figures of the fur trade to life. I vaguely remember reading in my history classes about the big names like Samuel de Champlain, Alexander Henry, Alexander Mackenzie, and George Nelson but this little book provides the explanations and the motivation behind these men. I especially enjoyed the discussion throughout the text on the influence of Native Americans on the fur trade. I believe this discussion may have been lacking from my own history education many years ago. It is important to note that in incorporating the Native American way of life made possible the fur traders' life in the north. This occurred at a time when many of these European traders would not have been able to survive such harsh environmental conditions without the skills borrowed from the Native American.

Peterson has included appropriate images on nearly every page to complement her rich text. I believe the images make this book more readable, especially for the young reader. I do wish some of the images were in color or printed in a larger format, but I am sure that would have made this little book a bit too large for the young reader and probably a lot more expensive as well. I especially appreciate the maps included throughout the text and the maps printed on the inside covers of the book for continued reference while reading. This is very helpful to allow comprehension of the vast tracts of lands

One suggestion for improvement on future historical texts that may be written by this author is to have a summary, perhaps in the form of a timeline at the end of each chapter. This may help keep the reader more on task and understand the particular time range covered in each chapter. The book is set in chronological order, but some of the chapters cover a very short timeline whereas other chapters cover longer time periods. There is a time line at the end of the text, and this is helpful, but I think summarizing the content of each chapter at the end would be helpful. In this way, the reader could review what has just been read and place each of the events in chronological context.

This is a book that I will keep handy for teaching some of the history behind the fur trade in my future. Also, it is a book that I will consult when I get the opportunity to visit some of the important historic sites mentioned throughout. A book that can motivate a person to take a greater interest in learning more about the topic is well-written and well worth the reader's time and effort. This book does this very well.

15 people found this helpful

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ncordle

excellent

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2012

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this is an excellent book for people who are interested in the fur trade as well as trappers of the early 1700's
would recomend to anyone

5 people found this helpful

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Marion the Librarian

A well done slice of history!

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2011

This book is an eye-opener! Peterson begins her chronicle with a world-view from circa 1490. To any reader who thought that the wilderness west of the American British colonies was an empty, unexplored land, prepare yourself for culture shock! The biggest business on the North American continent for over 400 years was the (beaver) fur trade. `Birchbark brigade' refers to the convoy of birchbark canoes used to traverse the waterways of the continent from the headquarters of the trading posts to areas far inland to trade with diverse Indian tribes. Peterson extensively reveals as much as can be known during this time, such as the competition of `the captains of industry', the evangelization of the Indians, to how food was preserved and how much a trader carried over his portage. This fascinating account is well-written, immensely interesting and contains extensive informative photos, artifacts and paintings which further a reader's understanding.

11 people found this helpful

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Yana V. Rodgers

Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2009

European explorers in North America during the 1500s may not have discovered the much-desired Northwest Passage to China that would facilitate trade for silk and spices, but they did discover abundant sources of an equally valuable commodity: beaver pelts. Europeans came to prize beaver pelts as an important input into their hat-making industry, especially as fancy hats dominated men's and women's fashions and served as a major status symbol.

Native Americans had harvested and used beaver pelts for centuries to meet their own needs, and the arrival of the Europeans brought new opportunities to trade the pelts for metal knives, axe heads, and other manufactured tools. The beaver trade--which spread across North America thanks to an intricate set of wilderness trading posts and waterways navigated by traders in small brigades of birchbark canoes--flourished for close to three hundred years.

This interesting and well-researched book constitutes a useful resource for understanding the origins and spread of the fur trade between Native Americans and Europeans. It also chronicles the difficulties and injustices that Native Americans experienced with the arrival of the European explorers, thus making the fur trade a source of economic opportunity as well as sickness and violence. Young history buffs will value this book not only for the text, but also for the various selections of maps, portraits, sketches, and photos that contribute to the extensive documentation.

12 people found this helpful

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Susanne Therien

Well Written History

Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2022

Verified Purchase

If you find the history of the voyageur fascinating, you will enjoy this book.

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