Fur Trade in the Ohio River Valley: Breaking Biases and Stereotypes

Another bias or stereotype about Native Americans is their involvement in the fur trade. Growing up, social study classes and movies painted the fur trade in a way that only benefited fur traders like the French and British through the 17th and 18th centuries. It wasn’t until I read Susan Sleeper-Smith’s book, Indigenous Prosperity and American Conquest, Indian Women of the Ohio River Valley, 1690-1792, that I learned about how the fur trade, specifically in the Ohio River valley, greatly benefited Native American communities and Native American women.

In chapter 5, “Picturing Prosperity,” Sleeper-Smith breaks the stereotype of the “savage Indian,” by illustrating the prosperity Native Americans possessed in the Ohio River valley through the fur trade. She even explains that her hope is to “reestablish the positive role of the fur trade in Indian life in the Ohio River valley” (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 162). She states that the fur trade links to stereotypes of Native American demise and vulnerability. Sleeper-Smith argues the fur trade brought prosperity, success, and independence to Native American communities. Native Americans involved in the fur trade wore the finest clothes, lived in houses, and owned other valuable items like silver (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 162).

According to Sleeper-Smith, the fur trade promoted independence among Native American women. Native American women of the Ohio River Valley “played a role in facilitating this early exchange process” (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 70). Native American women participated in manufacturing goods, processing furs, and supplying food to fur traders (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 70). The women also created new styles of clothing with the new cloth they received through trading and even perfected pre-existing European clothing (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 163).

If Native Americans benefited from the fur trade, why do these stereotypes exist? Sleeper-Smith explains how these biases crept into Native American history during the 1960s and 1970s “when historians came to believe that the extinction of animals left indebted Indians with nothing to trade but their land” (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 164). Native Americans of the Ohio River valley didn’t suffer because of the fur trade. On the contrary, they flourished. Native American villages successfully expanded the fur trade business through the mid-18th century.

Sleeper-Smith’s book is excellent for breaking Native American stereotypes. If you’re a teacher, I encourage you to read the book. You can even assign excerpts from her book for students to read. If you do choose to assign excerpts, I encourage you to assign the Introduction, chapter 2, “The Evolution of the Indian Fur Trade,” and chapter 5, “Picturing Prosperity.”

Why is it important to be aware of stereotypes about Native Americans in the fur trade?

Americans, especially young Americans in school, are not aware of true Native American history. This causes people to have stereotypes and biases about Native Americans, not just in the fur trade, and not just in colonial American history, but present day. Educating your students on true Native American involvement in the fur trade is one step closer to breaking biases.

Stereotypes toward Native Americans still exist to this day. And it's important to educate your students on what's real and what's not. To better illustrate my point, below are two videos that show how stereotypes toward Native Americans exist today, even in Hollywood. As an educator, you can combat this.

Resources and Exercises for the Classroom

To better understand stereotypes about Native Americans, have your students do a "stereotype vs. reality" column.

In Word, you can create a simple two column sheet and label one side "Native American stereotypes" and the other "reality." I've also attached my template for download for classroom use. For the realities column, allow your high school students to read excerpts from Richard White, Susan Sleeper-Smith, and James Buss where they explain Native American history in the Great Lakes region and Ohio River valley.

For the stereotypes column, have them look through primary sources the three authors use to illustrate biases people had.

To help with this exercise, I have included portions of the books that discuss the realities of Native American life, as well as primary sources the authors use which illustrate biases:

Resources:

Richard White, The Middle Ground:

-Introduction (pp. ix-1)- In this portion, White discusses how he is creating a "new Indian history" by rightfully placing Native Americans back in history as major players.

-Chapter 2, "The Middle Ground,"(pp. 50-93)- In this portion, White discusses alliances between Algonquian-speaking Native Americans and French fur traders and how both parties benefited in this symbiotic relationship.

-Chapter 3, "The Fur Trade," (pp. 94-141)- In this chapter, White dicusses how both the French and Algonquin-speaking Native Americans partook in the fur trade. For his time, White provides a more realistic view of Native Americans' major role in the fur trade with the French.

Susan Sleeper-Smith, Indigenous Prosperity and American Conquest: Indian Women of the Ohio River Valley, 1690-1792:

-Introduction (pp. 1-12). Sleeper-Smith outlines her arguments and truths about Native Americans and women of the Ohio River valley.

-Chapter 2, "The Evolution of the Indian Fur Trade," (pp. 67-104). Chapter delves into Native American involvement as fur traders explaining how they led the fur trade in Ohio River valley. Also discusses heavy female involvement and independence.

-Chapter 5, "Picturing Prosperity," (pp. 162-209). Breaks stereotypes of Native Americans being "savages."

James J. Buss, Winning the West with Words:

-Introduction, "Clearing the Middle Ground for American Pioneers," (pp. 1-14). Chapter lays out Buss' argument and explains how Native Americans were more than what stereotypes dictate.

-Chapter 1, "Treaties and the Eroding Language of the Middle Ground," (pp. 17-41). Chapter explains how Native Americans used legal language to and words to fight for their right to keep their lands.

-Epilogue, "Centennial Celebrations," (pp. 212-228). Buss explains how myths of Native Americans simply "disappearing" have dominated history and the reality of Native Americans' role in American history and historic interpretation.

Primary Documents- See what stereotypes or biases are in these excerpts:

-Excerpt from Western Nation, Sept. 7-10, 1764, (For sovereignty, see Congress with Western Nations) (from White, pp. 294, footnote 48). Johnson writes about the "dangers" of these Native Americans.

-Excerpt from Joseph Doddridge, Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars of the Western Parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania from 1763 to 1783, (Albany, N.Y.: Joel Munsell, 1876), p. 65). (From White, pp. 330, footnote 32). Doddridge refers to Native Americans as pagans.

-Lincoln's Journal of a Treaty....1793, Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 3rd Series, 5, p. 139. (From White, pp. 470, footnote 1). Lincoln shares how Indian demise is inevitable.

-Chester Raymond Young, ed., Westward into Kentucky: That Narrative of Daniel Trabue (Lexington, Ky., 1981), pp. 46-47. (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 213, footnote 2). Militia man gives account of raiding Native American community.

-Hamtramck to Hamar, July 29, 1789, in Thornbrough, ed., Outpost on the Wabash, pp. 178-179. (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 230, footnote 29). Refers to Native Americans as "aggressors."

-Henry Knox to George Washington, June 12, 1789, in W.W. Abbot et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington: Presidential Series, II, Apr.-June 1787 (Charlottesville, Va., 1999), II, pp. 490; Henry Knox, Misc. Papers, MSS C/K, Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Ky.; Temple Bodley, History of Kentucky, 4 vols., I, Before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 (Chicago, 1928), pp. 454-455. (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 246, footnote 7). Writer mentions "savages" living along Wabash.

-The Columbian Tragedy (Boston, 1791), broadside. (Sleeper-Smith, pp. 278, figure 32). Newspaper paints Native Americans as blood-thirsty savages.

Source: Christies, hyperlinked to original source.

-S.J.B., "The Indian," CCT, November 16, 1831. The poem was reprinted from the Daily National Republican (New York). (Buss, pp. 100-101, endnote 8). A poem that illustrates the myth that Native Americans simply vanished from the lands.

-H. Lasselle, "The Frontier Call," CCT, June 9, 1832. (Buss, pp. 103, endnote 16). Poem that paints Native Americans as helpless victims being forced off their lands.

-Program cover for the Decatur County, Indiana Centennial Pageant. Courtesy of Indiana State Library, Indianapolis. (Buss, pp. 222).

Source: Daily News, hyperlinked to original source.

Additional Images

Below are some images of fine clothes, objects, and portraits that illustrate what Native Americans of the Ohio River Valley possessed with links so you have a digitized copy that can be used for teaching purposes. These images were also used in Sleeper-Smith's book from chapter 5. All images are hyperlinked to their original sources.