Scottish Indian trade
Encyclopedia
The trans-Atlantic trade in deer
skins was a significant commercial activity in Colonial America
that was greatly influenced, and at least partially dominated, by Scottish
traders and their firms. This trade, primarily in deerskins but also in beaver
and other animal pelts
, was carried on with Native American
tribes and is usually referred to as the Indian trade
. The Indian trade was conducted largely to fill the high Europe
an and later colonial demand for deerskins and other animal pelts trapped by Indians in return for European trade goods. These pelts were shipped to Europe and used in the leather
-making industry. The trade had been developing since the seventeenth century and Scottish traders played an important part in its advance.
… because of their wild manners, of their manly sports, of their eastern costume, so much resembling their own” . This together with similarly structured societies, based in both cases upon clan
or tribal
ties and bonds of kinship, is thought to have led to a greater trust and willingness to trade and socialize with the Scots ahead of other traders with little in common to themselves.
traders, who generally did not marry among their customers. This cut the French off from one of the main advantages of Scottish traders, that of acceptance into an Indian clan. They gained a network of kin and customers within that clan and superior information from their wives as to the state of affairs, needs and political developments of their Indian clans. These were profound advantages for those involved in the Indian trade as they ensured a connection to the kinfolk of his wife in the various villages he might be trading with, thus providing protection against ill treatment and a guaranteed customer base. This is connected to another advantage of the Scots traders, the fact that they generally refrained from preaching Christianity
to their customers and interfering with their natural way of life as the Spanish
did through their network of missions throughout their Indian territory. This gave the Scots an advantage over the Spanish and to a lesser extent the French. As Martin states, “Scottish resident traders, most of them with Native American wives and offspring, connected themselves to the existing culture instead of proscribing or attacking it”. This policy worked so well that by the American Revolution
, numerous Native American chiefs were of mixed Indian and Scottish descent, including Alexander McGillivray
, the leader of the Creeks
.
”. This partiality of the Scots for dealing with their own kind also was part of the tobacco trade, for many of the same reasons: the need to trust employees and business associates and a sentimental attachment to the old clan structures.
1707 to the manufacturing and financial centres of the Kingdom of Great Britain
was also of great importance to their development and dominance of the Indian trade. In particular, Scots traders made use of the credit facilities available to them through London, and the informal extended network of other Scots merchants and their financial resources. The extension of credit to those importing trade goods and to the purchasing Indians in advance of the delivery of pelts, which would have to be transported across the Atlantic
before they could be sold, was of paramount importance. This held true even after 1783, when the Scots firm of Panton, Leslie and Company were able to control the Florida Indian trade by offering credit which American traders were unable to equal. The ability of Great Britain to produce and deliver high quality goods desired by the Indians far surpassed that of the French or Spanish. At one time the commander of the French Fort Toulouse
was forced to collect British trade goods as examples of what their customers wanted. The ability of traders to sustain the delivery of trade goods even in time of war also influenced their customers, especially with the common problems faced by the French and Spanish in supplying the Indians. As the French Governor of Louisiana stated, the Indians “every day tell our traders that if they were in a position to supply them with the things that they need, they would never permit the English to come upon their land”. British, or Scottish, traders offered better credit terms, a reliable source of supply, and a wider variety and better quality of goods than any of their competitors.
, or bribes, to the Indians, they were more popular among the Indians, especially as the French required them to journey to Fort Toulouse or other French outposts to receive presents. By being official gift givers, the traders could avoid using their own resources for presents to the Indians. This secondary occupation of the traders allowed them to function as a valuable conduit between the Indians and the heads of the colonies, this enabled them to transmit Government policy, reassurances and proposals to the Indians, thus gaining their trust and custom. One of the most well-documented traders who also functioned as an ambassador to the Indians was Lachlan McGillivray
, who acted as interpreter for several Indian conferences. He was instrumental in opening the Choctaw
tribe to British traders and in laying the groundwork for the Choctaw revolt against the French.
and Chickasaw
trade. The Gentlemen of Augusta also avoided obvious and institutionalised exploitation of the Indians. This is shown by the company’s establishment of set prices, the abandonment of Rum
as a trading tool, the designation of certain Indian villages as exclusive bases for the trade and other beneficial practices. These practices were soon adopted by other traders and trading companies throughout the Georgia
and Carolina
Indian country, especially after the Yamasee War. This cut down on the worst abuses of the Indian trade and removed much friction between Indians, traders and colonial authorities, at least until the trade was reorganised in the wake of the Seven Years' War
. These innovations of the largely Scottish Augusta company allowed its members, together with other Scottish traders such as Macartan and Campbell; Crooke, MacIntosh and Jackson and others, to effectively monopolise the Southern Indian trade until the 1760s .
(born in County Meath, in the Kingdom of Ireland) and John Stuart
as Indian Superintendents, and of James Grant
, George Johnstone and James Glen as Governors. The preponderance of Scots in positions of authority in the successive colonial administrations became an important resource to provide various Scots traders with connections, government contracts, a conduit to those making policy, aid in gaining trading licences and other potentially valuable assistance in their trade.
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
skins was a significant commercial activity in Colonial America
Colonial America
The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...
that was greatly influenced, and at least partially dominated, by Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
traders and their firms. This trade, primarily in deerskins but also in beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
and other animal pelts
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
, was carried on with Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes and is usually referred to as the Indian trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
. The Indian trade was conducted largely to fill the high Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and later colonial demand for deerskins and other animal pelts trapped by Indians in return for European trade goods. These pelts were shipped to Europe and used in the leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
-making industry. The trade had been developing since the seventeenth century and Scottish traders played an important part in its advance.
Foundation of trade
There were several reasons why Scots were able to make inroads into the Indian trade.Cultural similarities
One reason was due to similarities in culture and dress between the Indians and Scots. This is evidenced by the recollection, quoted by Cashin, that “the Indians were greatly attached to the HighlandersScottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
… because of their wild manners, of their manly sports, of their eastern costume, so much resembling their own” . This together with similarly structured societies, based in both cases upon clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
or tribal
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
ties and bonds of kinship, is thought to have led to a greater trust and willingness to trade and socialize with the Scots ahead of other traders with little in common to themselves.
Cultural adaptation
The willingness of Scots traders to accept and take advantage of Indian customs was also important and is typified by their willingness to live in Indian villages and take Indian wives. This is in contrast to their main competitors, FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
traders, who generally did not marry among their customers. This cut the French off from one of the main advantages of Scottish traders, that of acceptance into an Indian clan. They gained a network of kin and customers within that clan and superior information from their wives as to the state of affairs, needs and political developments of their Indian clans. These were profound advantages for those involved in the Indian trade as they ensured a connection to the kinfolk of his wife in the various villages he might be trading with, thus providing protection against ill treatment and a guaranteed customer base. This is connected to another advantage of the Scots traders, the fact that they generally refrained from preaching Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to their customers and interfering with their natural way of life as the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
did through their network of missions throughout their Indian territory. This gave the Scots an advantage over the Spanish and to a lesser extent the French. As Martin states, “Scottish resident traders, most of them with Native American wives and offspring, connected themselves to the existing culture instead of proscribing or attacking it”. This policy worked so well that by the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, numerous Native American chiefs were of mixed Indian and Scottish descent, including Alexander McGillivray
Alexander McGillivray
Alexander McGillivray, also known as Hoboi-Hili-Miko , was a principal chief of the Upper Creek towns from 1782. Before that he had created an alliance between the Creek and the British during the American Revolution...
, the leader of the Creeks
Creek people
The Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
.
Familial advantages
The Scots were partial to dealing with fellow Scots or those with a clan connection. This guaranteed the traders a pool of labour who as kin could be trusted to carry trade goods to the Indians and to not to defraud their employers or endanger the trade with Indian villages. Also once trading licenses were issued, it ensured that, due to the practice of Scots selling on their licences, there was always a large Scottish presence in the Indian trade. As the first Southern Superintendent of Indian Affairs Edmond Atkin said, “Licenses on the present footing may as well be given to men living in CheapsideCheapside
Cheapside is a street in the City of London that links Newgate Street with the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Mansion House Street. To the east is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and the major road junction above Bank tube station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St...
”. This partiality of the Scots for dealing with their own kind also was part of the tobacco trade, for many of the same reasons: the need to trust employees and business associates and a sentimental attachment to the old clan structures.
Manufacturing advantages
The access of the Scots since the Act of UnionActs of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
1707 to the manufacturing and financial centres of the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
was also of great importance to their development and dominance of the Indian trade. In particular, Scots traders made use of the credit facilities available to them through London, and the informal extended network of other Scots merchants and their financial resources. The extension of credit to those importing trade goods and to the purchasing Indians in advance of the delivery of pelts, which would have to be transported across the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
before they could be sold, was of paramount importance. This held true even after 1783, when the Scots firm of Panton, Leslie and Company were able to control the Florida Indian trade by offering credit which American traders were unable to equal. The ability of Great Britain to produce and deliver high quality goods desired by the Indians far surpassed that of the French or Spanish. At one time the commander of the French Fort Toulouse
Fort Toulouse
Fort Toulouse is a historic fort near the city of Wetumpka, Alabama, United States, that is now maintained by the Alabama Historical Commission. The French founded the fort in 1717, naming it for Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse...
was forced to collect British trade goods as examples of what their customers wanted. The ability of traders to sustain the delivery of trade goods even in time of war also influenced their customers, especially with the common problems faced by the French and Spanish in supplying the Indians. As the French Governor of Louisiana stated, the Indians “every day tell our traders that if they were in a position to supply them with the things that they need, they would never permit the English to come upon their land”. British, or Scottish, traders offered better credit terms, a reliable source of supply, and a wider variety and better quality of goods than any of their competitors.
Employment advantages
The colonial authorities relied on often Scottish traders as messengers, translators, sources of information, and informal agents of the Empire. One favourable by-product of this was that as traders were used to carry presentsGift
A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...
, or bribes, to the Indians, they were more popular among the Indians, especially as the French required them to journey to Fort Toulouse or other French outposts to receive presents. By being official gift givers, the traders could avoid using their own resources for presents to the Indians. This secondary occupation of the traders allowed them to function as a valuable conduit between the Indians and the heads of the colonies, this enabled them to transmit Government policy, reassurances and proposals to the Indians, thus gaining their trust and custom. One of the most well-documented traders who also functioned as an ambassador to the Indians was Lachlan McGillivray
Lachlan McGillivray
Lachlan McGillivray was a prosperous fur trader and planter in colonial Georgia with interests that extended from Savannah to what is now central Alabama...
, who acted as interpreter for several Indian conferences. He was instrumental in opening the Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
tribe to British traders and in laying the groundwork for the Choctaw revolt against the French.
Trading process
The Scots traders development of a different way of carrying out the Indian trade was a major factor in its expansion. They formed trading companies with minor traders working on behalf of the company, instead of the practice of sole traders working on their own. As "for the more effectual carrying on the trade and supplying the Indians, we thought it proper to join in one company", this was in order to cut back on competition which would drive down profits, to reduce risk for each trader and also to combine the various, often complementary, skills and experience of the individual traders. It allowed them to keep several traders stationed at any one time in the Indian country to smooth out any difficulties which might emerge with the Indians. The best and most successful example of this is the company of the “Gentlemen of Augusta” or Brown, Rae and Company, which by 1755 had gained three-quarters of the CreekCreek people
The Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
and Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
trade. The Gentlemen of Augusta also avoided obvious and institutionalised exploitation of the Indians. This is shown by the company’s establishment of set prices, the abandonment of Rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
as a trading tool, the designation of certain Indian villages as exclusive bases for the trade and other beneficial practices. These practices were soon adopted by other traders and trading companies throughout the Georgia
Province of Georgia
The Province of Georgia was one of the Southern colonies in British America. It was the last of the thirteen original colonies established by Great Britain in what later became the United States...
and Carolina
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
Indian country, especially after the Yamasee War. This cut down on the worst abuses of the Indian trade and removed much friction between Indians, traders and colonial authorities, at least until the trade was reorganised in the wake of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. These innovations of the largely Scottish Augusta company allowed its members, together with other Scottish traders such as Macartan and Campbell; Crooke, MacIntosh and Jackson and others, to effectively monopolise the Southern Indian trade until the 1760s .
Political appointments
Another factor in the Scottish grip on the Indian trade was the numerous appointees among Colonial administrators and Governors who were from Scotland. Examples included William JohnsonSir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League...
(born in County Meath, in the Kingdom of Ireland) and John Stuart
John Stuart (loyalist)
John Stuart was a Scottish-born official of the British Empire in North America. He was the superintendent for the southern district of the British Indian Department from 1761 to 1779; his northern counterpart was Sir William Johnson.Born in Inverness, by 1748 Stuart had emigrated to South...
as Indian Superintendents, and of James Grant
James Grant
James Grant may refer to:*James Grant , American author, journalist, and publisher of Grant's Interest Rate Observer*James Grant , California painter and sculptor...
, George Johnstone and James Glen as Governors. The preponderance of Scots in positions of authority in the successive colonial administrations became an important resource to provide various Scots traders with connections, government contracts, a conduit to those making policy, aid in gaining trading licences and other potentially valuable assistance in their trade.