A Historical Examination of the Beaver Fur Hat's Influence

This essay delves into the historical importance of the beaver fur hat, particularly within the context of Canada's development. It traces the hat's origins in the 17th century, highlighting its role in the fur trade, which spurred exploration and established colonial relationships. The essay discusses the hat's construction from beaver wool, its various styles, and its economic impact, including the rise of the Hudson Bay Company and the creation of the Made Beaver currency. Furthermore, it examines the hat's cultural and political significance, such as the intermarriages between traders and Canadian women, the assimilation of European culture, and the peaceful relations between Canada and Europe. The essay concludes by emphasizing the beaver's symbolic importance to Canada, solidifying its place in the nation's history and identity.

Running Head: BEAVER FUR HAT
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Student Name
Institution Name
Beaver Fur Hat

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Beaver Fur Hat
Fur can be used to make different artifacts. One of these artifacts is a hat. In the 17th
century beaver far was used to make different types of hats. New customers flocked the North-
West of Canada to trade for fur. French and English people were the most interested people to
buy fur and skin in order to trade it to industries in Europe. The industries were mainly making
hats. This essay will discuss in details one of the best known hats made during this period; the
beaver hut.
Beaver hat resembled the beaver’s head and it came in different styles. There were
different shapes of the beaver hut; they were classified according to class and status. The first
five belonged to the civil class while the last three belonged to the military class. They include;
The Wellington, the Paris beau, the D'Orsay, the Regent, the clerical, the continental cocked hat,
Navy cocked hat, the Army shako (Schwartz, 2011).
Beaver hats were made from beaver wool. The wool went through some refining process
in order to get the felted beaver which was the final product used to make beaver hat through
felting process. It was considered the finest fur to make these hats (Carrlee, 2011). This is
because it was smooth, soft and waterproofs (Wallace, 2011). Beaver fur was obtained from
trapping beavers during winter. The beaver was skinned and later its skin was stretched on a
frame to enable collection of pelts. It was later during spring that these pelts were packed and
ready for trade to hat making industries.

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The beaver fur huts were first made in the 14th century in Spain and Holland. The hats
were first seen in Paris in 1577 and they reached London in the early 1580s. Europe was the
main supplier of beaver fur by then but they exhausted their products leaving North America to
take over. By 1731, England passed a Hat Act prohibition bill from exporting hats to USA.
Two companies owned by British were the main producers of beaver fur hats; the Hudson
Bay Company and the North West Company. Their rivalry was so bitter that they competed in
establish companies in order to get the beaver fur wherever it was found (Innis, 2017). Beaver
hats were made as European men wanted fine hats. The fur provided the excellent raw materials
for producing these hats as it was tight. The hat was also made because its material could be
combed to bring out different desirable shapes. Another reason why hats were made was because
fur from beaver was considered valuable due to its two layers.
The trade for beaver fur to make hats opened trade in the area. In turn the fur trading led
to exploration of the area. Missionaries flocked in and colonial relationships were established
with the Europeans traders. All these activities led to the formation of Canada. Another reason
why the hat is significant to Canada is because the beaver from which the fur was used to make
the hat is one of the Canada’s symbols of sovereignty. The beaver was named the emblem of
Canada through the passing of act to provide Beaver recognition.

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Historically, beaver was significance to Canada as it was the only product that made
Europeans explores it, as Canada did not possess any other products for trading, beaver fur was
their only product the traders to explore Canada. Canadians created a coin that equaled one
beaver called the “buck” (Pike & McCreery, 2011). Another historic significance of beaver is
inclusion of the beaver in Canadian court of arms and the Three Penny Beaver in Canada’s
postage stamp.
Beaver hats had impact economically, politically, culturally and socially. The economic
effects of beaver fur hats artifacts include the rise of economy in Canada. It was due to
production of this artifact that the Hudson Bay Company created the Made Beaver currency.
Culturally, it led to the intermarriages between traders and the Canadian women leading to
assimilation of the European culture. Politically, the rise of beaver fur hat brought peaceful
relationship between Canada and Europe.
In conclusion, beaver fur hat opened trade from the 17th century up to 19th century. It was
due to this trade that a state like Canada was formed. Other important activities that rose from the
beaver fur hats production are the peaceful relationship created from traders that even led to
intermarriages and assimilation of different cultures. Therefore, to Canadians beaver is an
important symbol as it made the state get recognized.

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References
Beaver Fur Hat Stock Photos & Beaver Fur Hat Stock Images - Alamy. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/beaver-fur-hat.html
Carrlee, E., & Horelick, L. (2011). The Alaska Fur ID Project: A virtual resource for material
identification. Objects Specialty Group Postprints, 18, 149-171.
Innis, H. (2017). The Fur Trade in Canada: an introduction to Canadian economic history.
University of Toronto Press.
Pike, C., & McCreery, C. (2011). Canadian symbols of authority: Maces, chains, and rods of
office. Dundurn.
Schwartz, J. M. (2011). Agent of Change or Marketing Bait: The Photograph in 100 Photos That
Changed Canada. Journal of Canadian Studies, 45(2), 205-222.
Wallace-Wells, D. (2011). The New Republic magazine. Retrieved from
https://newrepublic.com/authors/david-wallace-wells