THE BEAVER WARS

Era: 1607-1754
Theme: Politics and Power
Skill: Causation
Topic: The Beaver Wars
Presentation: Examining and presenting evidence in order to understand why the Beaver Wars were fought between different social groups in North America

The Beaver Wars

• Also known as the Iroquois Wars
• Series of wars in the mid-17th century (1642-1698)
• Fought between the Iroquois Confederation
• And the tribes of the Great Lakes region

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IROQUOIS CONFEDERATION

• Backed by the Dutch and the English
• Trading partners with both nations' colonies
• Both encouraged the Iroquois to expand their territory
• Guns and weapons were supplied to the Confederation

GREAT LAKES TRIBES

• Led by the Mohawk tribe
• Had strong ties with the French Trading partners
• They were trading partners
• Allies in conflicts
• Guns and weapons were supplied to the Great Lakes Tribes

PROPOSED PEACE TREATY

• The Iroquois people traveled to the colony of New France
• Proposed peace treaty with the French and allied tribes (Great Lakes Tribes)
• Also proposed to establish a French trading post in Iroquois territory
• The proposal was denied by the French as it would be "abandoning their allies"

WAR BEGINS

• The Iroquois began attacking the Huron tribe's villages (allied with the French)
• This was an attempt to disrupt their trading arrangements with the French
• The French finally agreed to form a trade treaty, or so it seemed
• Instead, the French asked them to trade with Great Lakes tribes (middleman)
• War started by the Iroquois continued, fueled by the angered Iroquois

WHY ARE THESE CALLED THE BEAVER WARS?

• Formerly, the Iroquois relied on trade of animal products (beaver pelts)
• Beaver population dropped due to hunting
• Iroquois began conquering smaller nations
• Made a living by raiding villages instead of trading

IROQUOIS CONFEDERATION

• Centralized leadership format
• Coordinated military attacks with ease
• Overpowered decentralized leadership in Great Lakes tribes

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• The Iroquois population and territory increased
• They became a "people of war"
• Relied on the riches of war for survival instead of peaceful trade

WHAT CHANGED AFTER WAR?

• Both societies were altered by war
• Iroquois changed their way of life from trade to war
• Some Great Lakes tribes were wiped out completely

WHY WAS THE WAR FOUGHT?

• The war was originally fought to settle plans of trading arrangements
• with the French but grew to expanding the Iroquoian territory and to
• supply the Iroquois Confederation with means of survival, nearly
• depleting the Great Lakes tribes and transforming their way of life.

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