Chapter 1, Part 2

Economy of First Nations

• Compiled by Jennifer Lozyk

Barter System

• Definition: Exchange of goods without the use of money.

• Questioning Money:

  • Why use money if you can barter?

  • Rhetorical comment: "Sounds pretty fishy to me... I know, right?! You can't eat money!"

Indigenous Trade Networks

• Formation of trade networks among Indigenous tribes.

• Purpose: To facilitate bartering so all tribes had access to goods they could not make or procure themselves.

Specific Trade Goods

Algonquians

• Produced and traded:

  • Furs

  • Game

  • Birchbark canoes

Iroquois

• Farmers who traded:

  • Agricultural crops

  • Baskets

Inter-Tribe Relations

• Native groups had conflicts and did not always get along.

• In addition to trade, they expanded their villages by taking prisoners.

  • Example: Iroquois scalped their enemies and brought prisoners to their homes.

Current Thoughts

Ideologies

• Definition: A word that ends in "ism" represents an ideology or belief.

Animism

• Description: Native belief that all objects, animals, and people possess spirits.

• Importance: Recognizes the spiritual essence in living and non-living things.

Cultural Perspective

• Quote: "...every rock and tree and creature, Has a life, Has a spirit, Has a name..."

• This highlights the deep connection Native cultures have with the environment and spirituality.