Les coureurs de bois & Voyageurs
When the fur trade first began, First Nations and Inuit people brought the furs to the trading posts. They would arrive by canoe. The furs would be unloaded and traded for goods such as muskets, axes, knives, blankets, whiskey and pots. It was not long before some of the men at the trading posts decided they would go inland and get the fur themselves. These were the people known as the coureurs de bois and voyageurs. This French Canadian term, coureurs de bois, translates literally to runners of the woods; and the voyageurs translates to travelers. These men helped our fur traders travel to places to trade furs and other goods. We will be looking at the vocabulary of Le voyageur. We will also be studying their clothing, food and other customs.
Cross-curricular, school-wide units on The Broken Blade often include studies of fur trade history (the Great Lakes basin 1600-1850), geography (the routes from Montreal to Athabaska), sociology (cultural interaction among the Ojibwe, French-Canadian, and British) economics (market forces that drove the fur trade), foreign language (French studies), literature (contemporary and historical pieces), creative writing and art (lots of possibilities for modeling and story/character extensions), music (fur trade songs), physical education (cardio vascular effort of paddling and portaging), health (diet of fur traders), biology (ecosystems of lakes and rivers), mathematics/physics (forces paddling 40 ft. canoe with 4000 lb. load), shop class (model voyageur canoe), home economics (food preparation and fashion trends).
Cross-curricular, school-wide units on The Broken Blade often include studies of fur trade history (the Great Lakes basin 1600-1850), geography (the routes from Montreal to Athabaska), sociology (cultural interaction among the Ojibwe, French-Canadian, and British) economics (market forces that drove the fur trade), foreign language (French studies), literature (contemporary and historical pieces), creative writing and art (lots of possibilities for modeling and story/character extensions), music (fur trade songs), physical education (cardio vascular effort of paddling and portaging), health (diet of fur traders), biology (ecosystems of lakes and rivers), mathematics/physics (forces paddling 40 ft. canoe with 4000 lb. load), shop class (model voyageur canoe), home economics (food preparation and fashion trends).
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
lesson Note
Students, please read these two notes. One is about the lives of the Voyageurs. The other file (PDF) is all about how bison was used completely and what it was used for in so many different ways.
![]()
|
![]()
|
Additional Information
White Oak Trading Post The White Oak Trading Post site has study guides and many links.
A PowerPoint with information about the White Oak Fur Post in Deer River, MN.
Credit: Connie Quirk, Mickelson Middle School, Brookings, South Dakota.
Heartistry Music Has both voyageur and lumberjack music.
Grand Portage National Monument
Manitoba Living History Society Many links regarding life as a voyageur and many societies created to carry on the voyageur way of life.
Voyageurs National Park
Fur Trade at Lachine Historical Site, Montreal, Canada Includes teaching activities.
Program on How to Build Birch Bark Canoe
A History of the Voyageurs Making the Voyageur’s World, Travelers and Traders in the North American Fur Trade, by Carolyn Podruchny.
A PowerPoint with information about the White Oak Fur Post in Deer River, MN.
Credit: Connie Quirk, Mickelson Middle School, Brookings, South Dakota.
Heartistry Music Has both voyageur and lumberjack music.
Grand Portage National Monument
Manitoba Living History Society Many links regarding life as a voyageur and many societies created to carry on the voyageur way of life.
Voyageurs National Park
Fur Trade at Lachine Historical Site, Montreal, Canada Includes teaching activities.
Program on How to Build Birch Bark Canoe
A History of the Voyageurs Making the Voyageur’s World, Travelers and Traders in the North American Fur Trade, by Carolyn Podruchny.
Quiz
There will be a quiz on Friday January 16th 2015 on the various clothing pieces of the voyageurs. Please look over your notes, and the coloring picture of the voyageur that has the clothing labels. There is an image of our page in the file below.
If you have problems or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me in class or via email.
If you have problems or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me in class or via email.

voyageur.png | |
File Size: | 52 kb |
File Type: | png |
Survey
Les plantes et médecines
Au temps des voyageurs, il y avait beaucoup de dangers.
Noyade, les hernies, les membres brisés, la colonne vertébrale et les rhumatismes comprimé, pour en nommer que quelques-uns, sont les dangers que les Voyageurs face.
Scorbut (scurvy)
Diphtérie (diphtheria)
Variole (smallpox)
Rubéole (rubella)
Tuberculose (tuberculosis)
Scarlatine (scarlet fever)
Les indigenes utilises les plantes pour aider avec les maladies. Quelque plantes inclus"
Le pin blanc (white pine)
L'echinacee (echinacea)
L'onagre (evening primrose)
Le ginseng a cinq folioles (ginseng)
Regardez au site web et trouver les remedies de ces maladies, et quel autres afflictions ces quatres plantes aides.
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/plantes-plants/plant_dir/index.php
Noyade, les hernies, les membres brisés, la colonne vertébrale et les rhumatismes comprimé, pour en nommer que quelques-uns, sont les dangers que les Voyageurs face.
Scorbut (scurvy)
Diphtérie (diphtheria)
Variole (smallpox)
Rubéole (rubella)
Tuberculose (tuberculosis)
Scarlatine (scarlet fever)
Les indigenes utilises les plantes pour aider avec les maladies. Quelque plantes inclus"
Le pin blanc (white pine)
L'echinacee (echinacea)
L'onagre (evening primrose)
Le ginseng a cinq folioles (ginseng)
Regardez au site web et trouver les remedies de ces maladies, et quel autres afflictions ces quatres plantes aides.
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/plantes-plants/plant_dir/index.php
JOB Ad Poster Assignment
Create a persuasive advertisement to draw in more men/women to become coureur de bois OR voyageurs.
Job Ad Poster Assignment
-assignment instructions: Create a poster or a video to advertise for job postings for voyageurs or coureur de bois. Poster- as big as you'd like, video max. 2min. Individual project HOWEVER, can work with friends for support. Risks, benefits of working, physical demand.
IN FRENCH
-research organizer: written notes, google docs, PPT, imovie, movie maker, final cut pro, premierpro, etc
***NB conferencing with you over the work periods.
-poster organizer: blocky letters, colors, insentive, attractive to audience, focus on positives, disclaimers, visuals
-assignment rubric***coming soon
DUE: Monday February 23rd 2015
PROS:
- freedom
- outdoors, nature
- good physical workout, keep your body muscular and in shape
- great money
- good company to work with
- stylish clothes
- Fun singing songs, smoking pipes
- 5 minute breaks every hour
CONS:
- death
- sickness
- outside in all extreme weather (sun, rain, snow)
- Long hours
Job Ad Poster Assignment
-assignment instructions: Create a poster or a video to advertise for job postings for voyageurs or coureur de bois. Poster- as big as you'd like, video max. 2min. Individual project HOWEVER, can work with friends for support. Risks, benefits of working, physical demand.
IN FRENCH
-research organizer: written notes, google docs, PPT, imovie, movie maker, final cut pro, premierpro, etc
***NB conferencing with you over the work periods.
-poster organizer: blocky letters, colors, insentive, attractive to audience, focus on positives, disclaimers, visuals
-assignment rubric***coming soon
DUE: Monday February 23rd 2015
PROS:
- freedom
- outdoors, nature
- good physical workout, keep your body muscular and in shape
- great money
- good company to work with
- stylish clothes
- Fun singing songs, smoking pipes
- 5 minute breaks every hour
CONS:
- death
- sickness
- outside in all extreme weather (sun, rain, snow)
- Long hours