Trade and Commerce (A.D. 1738-1880)

A Metis sash, coat, quilt, and saddle

With the arrival of Europeans, North Dakota’s Native Americans confronted countless challenges to their ways of life. In doing so, they continued their centuries-long tradition of adaptation and innovation, as evidenced by their pivotal role in the international fur trade, adoption of European objects and materials, the persistence of their practices and beliefs, and resilience in the face of disaster. 

View objects and routes of trade and commerce:

  • An interactive map illustrating directions of trade internationally
  • An oxcart
  • A Metis sash, coat, quilt, and saddle
  • Skinning knives and a percussion rifle popular with the fur traders
  • A bullboat