Treaties & Trade

Diplomatic Relations & Commercial Agreements

The treaties, protocols, and kinship networks that governed trade between European companies and Indigenous nations for two centuries.

Decode Treaties

The Royal Charter of 1670

King Charles II gave "the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay" exclusive rights to Rupert's Land—one-third of modern Canada.

Original Royal Charter document with royal seal granting Hudson's Bay Company territorial rights

Charter Provisions & Territorial Grants

The charter gave the Hudson's Bay Company "sole trade and commerce of all those seas, straights, bays, rivers, lakes, creeks, and sounds" in the Hudson Bay watershed—about 1.5 million square miles.

Key Powers Granted:
  • • Exclusive trading monopoly
  • • Authority to establish forts
  • • Right to make war and peace with Indigenous peoples
  • • Civil and criminal jurisdiction
Map showing the vast extent of Rupert's Land as defined by the Hudson Bay watershed

Indigenous Sovereignty & Territorial Rights

The charter didn't require Indigenous consent, even though many First Nations held traditional territories in Rupert's Land with their own governance and land management.

Affected Nations:
  • • Cree (Plains and Woodland)
  • • Ojibwe/Anishinaabe
  • • Inuit of Hudson Bay coast
  • • Dene peoples of Athabasca

Treaty Language Decoder

Click on highlighted terms in historical treaties to understand their meaning and implications for Indigenous-European relations.

Selkirk Treaty (1817) - Excerpt

"We, the Chiefs and Warriors of the Chippewa or Saulteaux Tribe, do grant unto Thomas Earl of Selkirk and his heirs and successors forever, all that tract of land beginning at the mouth of the Red River and extending two English statute miles back on each side of said river..."

"...in consideration whereof, the said Earl of Selkirk shall annually pay to the said tribe one hundred pounds weight of tobacco, being the rent for the said land..."

"...and it is hereby expressly understood that the lands hereby ceded are to be held and occupied by the settlers under the said Earl of Selkirk in an absolute and incontrovertible manner..."

Gift-Giving & Diplomatic Protocols

Indigenous diplomatic traditions centered on gift exchange and kinship creation, which European traders had to learn and respect to maintain trading relationships.

Welcoming Ceremonies

Indigenous chiefs greeting European traders with ceremonial pipe smoking and gift exchange

New trading relationships began with elaborate ceremonies featuring pipe smoking, speeches, and mutual gift exchange. These rituals created artificial kinship bonds essential for ongoing commerce.

Typical Company Gifts:
  • • Brass medals with company symbols
  • • Red woolen military coats
  • • Silver arm bands and gorgets
  • • Tobacco and rum (limited quantities)

Annual Trading Ceremonies

Large gathering showing annual trading ceremony with multiple Indigenous groups and company officials

Each spring, Indigenous leaders traveled to trading posts for formal ceremonies renewing trade agreements. These gatherings reinforced relationships and negotiated the coming year's terms.

Ceremonial Elements:
  • • Flag raising with company colors
  • • Formal speeches by chiefs and factors
  • • Feast preparation and shared meals
  • • Dancing and cultural performances

Kinship Networks

Marriage ceremony between European trader and Indigenous woman creating family alliances

Intermarriage between company men and Indigenous women created lasting family connections that facilitated trade. These unions followed Indigenous marriage customs and created obligations for both communities.

Alliance Benefits:
  • • Access to seasonal hunting territories
  • • Intelligence about competing traders
  • • Protection during territorial conflicts
  • • Language interpretation services

Company Rivalries & Territorial Conflicts

Competition between Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company created complex alliances with Indigenous nations, often leading to territorial disputes and trade wars.

The Pemmican War (1812-1821)

Conflict erupted over pemmican supplies at Red River Colony when North West Company partners allied with Métis hunters to resist HBC monopoly claims. The dispute involved competing interpretations of territorial rights and food sovereignty.

Key Events & Consequences:

  • 1814: Miles Macdonell issues pemmican proclamation banning food exports
  • 1816: Battle of Seven Oaks - 20 colonists killed, including Governor Semple
  • 1817: Selkirk Treaty attempts to legitimize Red River settlement
  • 1821: Companies merge, ending violent competition but consolidating monopoly

Indigenous Perspectives: Many First Nations leaders viewed the conflict as a European dispute that disrupted traditional trade relationships and hunting patterns. Some allied with the NWC as a way to resist HBC monopoly expansion.

Historical scene depicting the tensions and conflicts between rival fur trading companies and their Indigenous allies

The End of Company Rule

In 1870, the Hudson's Bay Company sold Rupert's Land to the new Dominion of Canada, ending two centuries of private territorial governance and beginning a new era of Crown-Indigenous relations.

Transfer Negotiations (1867-1870)

The British government facilitated the transfer of HBC lands to Canada for £300,000 plus land grants. No Indigenous nations were consulted despite their original sovereignty over these territories.

£300,000 Transfer payment to HBC

Red River Resistance

Louis Riel led Métis resistance against the transfer, demanding rights and representation for existing inhabitants. This resistance led to Manitoba's creation as Canada's fifth province.

1869-70 Resistance period

Numbered Treaties Begin

Canada began negotiating numbered treaties with First Nations to clear Indigenous title for settlement. These treaties replaced the informal trading relationships of the fur trade era.

1871 Treaty One signed