The Fur Traders
 During the 1600s,
French fur traders came to Michigan. They traveled in
birchbark canoes, which were invented by Indians. Canoes made travel easier
because they used lakes and rivers as if they were roads. The French traded
blankets, beads, guns, copper kettles and iron hatchets to Indian peoples. In
return, the Indians gave them furs, especially beaver pelts.
In France, the fine underhairs in
the beaver pelts were used to make felt. The felt was used to make top hats.
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