How the Beaver Wars Aided European Conquest of North America (PLUS a Free Novel Download)

Last month, I began a series about the historic fur trade on the American continent, introducing it as the trade that shaped the colonies. To our modern way of thinking, it may seem strange that trapping was such a powerful force on the developing continent, but for many decades, the rush for fur drove the North American economy and pushed nations that had colonized along the ocean shore ever deeper into the interior.

The fur trade began among the indigenous people of America themselves. Native American tribes had been trading among themselves for untold numbers of generations, and often the currency was furs. Meanwhile, the Europeans source for fur was often Russia or Scandinavia. After Europeans began expanding their interests here on this continent, it wasn't long before war broke out between Indian nations seeking to establish alliances that would help them monopolize their own powers of trade. These wars that went on intermittently throughout the 17th century, but principally from 1650-1655, became known as the Beaver Wars.

The Beaver Wars are a study in themselves. It was a period of time when the powerful Iroquois confederation sought to expand territory and control the fur trade. They established a pact among themselves that they called "the Great Peace"; however, against their enemies, the Iroquois--led by the powerful Mohawk--carried on their own form of genocide. They either brutally killed their enemies or else took them captive, absorbing them into their tribes. The Iroquois were supplied with firearms by their allies, the Dutch (and later on, the English). 

 

Meanwhile, the Iroquois' Algonquin enemies--remnants from tribes like the Neutrals, Tobacco (Tionontati) Erie, Susquehannock, and others who were allied with the French--had no guns, only missionaries who lived among them, attempting to convert them to Catholicism. To flee massacre, they were pushed further inland, seeking refuge along the shores of the western Great Lakes. Even there, however, the Iroquois nations sought their destruction. The Mohawks, in particular, were known for the ferocity of their raids. (The Dutch used the Mohawks as weapons of terror against the French and Hurons, while at the same time keeping a wary, untrusting eye on these so-called allies.) There is more that can be said about the Mohawks. They were the last tribe to negotiate peace, as they held out the longest in trying to hold the reins of the fur trade with the Dutch. But the Mohawk's power grab ultimately led to fractures in the Iroquois confederacy. (This after further wars and manipulations.)

While the Mohawks achieved a monopoly on trade with the Dutch, they were unable to gain control of any of the trade with the French in Montreal. The French had turned their attentions further west toward the Ojibwa nations. These included the Chippewas, Missisaugas, Ottawas, and Potawatomis. These people, along with the Miami, gave the French access to lands still rich with furs, so much so that the French government was highly motivated to support them in their confrontations against the campaigns of the Iroquois. 

With French support of the Ojibwe and Miami, the Iroquois went on to suffer heavy defeats in present-day Michigan and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, English warships sailed up the Hudson to claim New Netherland in 1664. The Dutch surrendered New Netherland along with Fort Amsterdam and the town of New Amsterdam on the island of Manhattan. With their political collapse on the continent, the Mohawks lost their special powers of alliance. This further weakened the Iroquois league, though it didn't break it completely. Nevertheless, as a consequence, both England and French conquest in North America was strengthened.

At the end of the Beaver Wars, the internal struggles between Indigenous nations to secure the power of trade only weakened them and served the ends of the Europeans rather than they themselves. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Have you been attending this 3-day party, happening now? If not, come join me and a host of authors (40 in total!) for a Christmas Extravaganza, December 3rd, 4th, 5th.

AND Saturday through Monday, December 5th-7th, you can download my historical novel The Green Veil FREE!

I wish you a Merry Christmas, and pray God's peace and blessings upon you in 2021!

Naomi

https://naomimusch.com/

Colonial Quills Nine Year Anniversary! And Celebration of New Releases!

Welcome to our 9 Year Anniversary Party! We're celebrating at Jamestown, Virginia. Come on in and have some tea and treats!

Gabrielle Meyer:

I am honored to be here today celebrating the ninth anniversary of the Colonial Quills Blog! Congrats to all the wonderful contributors and readers. This is such a fun place to gather and share in all sorts of book love.

Today, I'm sharing my newest release Virginia Company Bride in The Heart's Stronghold Collection. This beautiful book released this month with Barbour Publishers (aren't the new covers amazing?!). My story is joined by phenomenal stories from Amanda Barratt, Angie Dicken, and Kimberley Woodhouse.

Here's a little about Virginia Company Bride: In September 1608, Anne Burras is the only woman in Jamestown when her mistress dies upon arrival. Laborer John Layton is one of only thirty-eight colonists who survived the first year in the colony. Both want Anne on the supply ship returning to England in three months, but neither foresee the difficulties they will face just to stay alive—or the painful sacrifices they will make to stay together.

I had the privileged of visiting Jamestown last year to do research for this story. What a treat to see the oldest English settlement in America! This story is especially dear to me because I have several ancestors who were a part of the early colonization of Jamestown. My earliest ancestor, William Powell, arrived in 1609 and was instrumental in removing an Indian chief who had tried to kill John Smith the year before. William was put in charge of the Jamestown defenses for his services and became the lieutenant governor in 1617.

Jamestown is a unique place to visit, because they have a reconstructed fort, as well as the original site where they are currently doing archaeological research. The first picture at the top of this post is taken at the reconstructed fort and the one above is of me at the original site. I'm standing where the chapel stood. This was important to me because John Layton, the hero of my story, was a carpenter in Jamestown and he's credited with building the second chapel for the fort.

In honor of the blog anniversary and the release of The Heart's Stronghold, I will be offering two copies, one here and one on the Facebook party. The winners will have the choice between a signed copy or an ebook.

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places, and events. You can learn more about Gabrielle and her books at www.gabriellemeyer.com.

Shannon McNear:

Greetings and salutations! I hope all is well with our gentle readers in these uncertain times.

NINE YEARS! I can hardly believe it! I'm blessed and honored to have been a part of this wonderful blog for six of those nine years. But with no further ado, it's with joy (and given the subject matter, not a little trepidation!) that I present The Blue Cloak, #5 of Barbour's ambitious True Colors historical suspense series. It's set in the fledgling states of Tennessee and Kentucky, 1797-99, and centers around the account of the terrible Harpes, considered our country's first recorded serial killers.

The story: Daughter and sister of trading post owners, Rachel Taylor watches her best friend Sally's marriage turn to horror before the entire family disappears. Virginia native Benjamin Langford seeks the whereabouts of his missing cousin and uncovers a reign of terror all up and down the Wilderness Road. In their shared grief, the pair join the effort to bring the Harpes' murder spree to an end and rescue Sally from a criminal's life.

To celebrate the March 1 release of The Blue Cloak, I'm offering two signed copies of the book, one here on the blog and one at the Facebook party! If you'd like to be entered, please mention BLUE CLOAK in your comment below. Thank you so much!

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in the Deep South, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. As the author of four novellas and three full-length novels, with her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, a 2014 RITA® finalist, her greatest joy is in being a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, and grammie of three. When not cooking, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies.

Connect with her at shannonmcnear.com and on various social media.

Naomi Musch:

Hello, Colonial Quills friends! There couldn't be a better time for an online party, could there? Thanks for celebrating with us. 

I'm thrilled to reintroduce THE GREEN VEIL, a book that's been out of print for some time and has just been newly re-released. It's the first in a three-book saga that spans the lives of three generations of women, their hopes, loves, and adventures in the new rough-and-rugged state of Wisconsin.

Here’s The Green Veil:

1841 ~ Lumberman's daughter, Colette Palmer has always loved timber cruiser Manason Kade, though she's too young for him to consider seriously. Leaving Michigan with her family to settle in the Wisconsin wilderness, and separated from him by miles and years, she grows into a woman. When her heart is broken, she makes her vow to another.

Manason longs to plant roots of his own in Wisconsin Territory, although an alluring female tempts him to do otherwise. Given the opportunity, he strikes out and forms the new Kade Forest Works. When his fresh crew challenges the illegal log harvesting of a rival company, however, it is Colette's husband who will stop at nothing to ruin him.

Logging enterprises collide as the territory nears statehood, and dangerous schemes threaten those Colette holds dear. Then Manason and Colette finally meet again, and when they do, the battle between lumber kings reaches new heights. Now she will have to choose between her first love and her commitment to her marriage vows, while her dreams, her faith, and an empire in pine hang in the balance.

To celebrate the Colonial Quill 9-year blog anniversary, I have something for everyone. For two days--the day of the party and the day following (March 30-31)--you'll be able to download a Kindle copy of The Green Veil FREE!  I hope you'll take advantage of the opportunity and ENJOY!

~Please feel free to spread the word about the free book, too.~

If you’d like updates about the release of Books Two and Three in the series, coming soon, sign up for my newsletter here.

Naomi is an award-winning author who believes a perfect day is spent writing, reading, roaming about the farm, snacking out of the garden, relaxing in her vintage camper, and loving on her passel of grandchildren. Connect with her via her website www.naomimusch.com and on social media around the web.

Pegg Thomas

Greetings History Friends!

'Tis a fine day to gather for a celebration. 'Twas but a short few years past that I was allowed to join these illustrious authors on the blog. It has been an honor and a privilege to write alongside them. To celebrate, I'm giving away one signed paperback copy of my May 1st release The Blacksmith Brides. (to a U.S. address only) My story in the collection is set in Philadelphia at the start of the Revolutionary War. Loyalties were questioned and families were torn apart as our country embarked on its quest for independence, even as it continued to grow into its western frontier. Comment using the word IRON here on the blog to be entered for that drawing.

As always, there will be a shawl giveaway with this release! One subscriber to my newsletter will win Forged Embers, one of my signature wool shawls made from my own flock of sheep. I shear the sheep, wash and dye the wool, card it (prepare for spinning), spin it, wash it again, knit the shawl, and then give it a final wash and blocking. In the entire process, the only power tool used is my sheep shears. My poor old hands can't take using the hand shears anymore. The drawing for Forged Embers will be on May 31st. To be entered, simply subscribe to my newsletter. Subscribe early and find out how to earn extra chances to win!





Pegg lives in Northern Michigan - which is south of Upper Michigan - on a hobby farm with her husband of *mumble* years, a flock of sheep, a flock of chickens, and Murphy the spoiled rotten dog. PeggThomas.com - Writing History with a Touch of Humor




Carrie Fancett Pagels

In the nine years since we launched the Colonial Quills blog, I've had twenty publications (click here to see my website Books Page.) Above is the cover of my most recent publication, a novella in a lovely collection from Barbour. I've been so blessed by this blog and the many bloggers who have helped keep this effort going! I'm giving away one of my in-print books to one of our commenters.

Also, I have MORE codes for FREE audiobooks of Mercy in a Red Cloak! So if you would like a code to listen to my novella set on colonial Mackinac Island, put "Mercy Audio" in your comment and leave me your email address! Thank you for being a Colonial Quills follower and attending our blog party!

Janet Grunst

What a pleasure to celebrate Colonial Quill's 9th Anniversary with you.

I’m excited to share about the October release of the third story in my Revolutionary War series, Setting Two Hearts Free. It takes place towards the end of the war and is about the younger generation.

Donald Duncan joined the Patriot cause for noble reasons, battling the British while enduring deprivation and hardship on every side. The war has changed him, and now the battle is internal. Returning home to Virginia is in sight where a new life and his Mary wait for him.

Mary Stewart spends the war years with her family at Stewarts’ Green, helping them operate their ordinary. Daily, she prays for Donald’s safe return, eagerly waiting for him … until that day the evil side of war touches her.

Two hearts changed by a war that dragged on for six years. Two hearts left hurting and struggling to find the love and trust they once knew. Is there a path for them to rekindle what was lost, Setting Two Hearts Free?

In celebration of Colonial Quill's 9-year anniversary, I will be giving away a Kindle version of whichever of the first two stories A Heart Set Free or A Heart For Freedom (winner's choice) to one commenter on the blog.

Janet is a wife, mother of two sons, and grandmother of eight. She

lives in the historic triangle of Virginia (Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown) with her husband. A lifelong student of history, her love of writing fiction grew out of a desire to share stories that communicate the truths of the Christian faith, as well as entertain, inspire, and encourage readers. You can follow her at  https://JanetGrunst.com

Denise Weimer

Since joining Colonial Quills blog, I've published a number of novels, both historical and contemporary, and become a managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas' historical imprints. Today on the blog, I'm giving away an e-book copy of my most recent historical romance, The Witness Tree, which starts in 1805 with a Moravian marriage of convenience in Old Salem, North Carolina, and leads to a dangerous assignment in Cherokee Territory. Would you like to be entered for the drawing? Leave a comment about the Moravians in the comments below.

During the Facebook party, I'll be giving away the winner's choice of an e-book of my two March contemporary releases, Spring Splash and Traces. See you at 8:15 p.m. EST! https://deniseweimerbooks.webs.com

FACEBOOK PARTY

Please join us on Facebook from 7-9:15 PM Eastern Time on Monday March 30 as we celebrate with a number of our current CQ bloggers! (Click here to join)

Happy Colonial New Year! Wait... What?

It might be a good excuse to rejuvenate my New Year's resolutions and evaluate how I'm doing with my "Word for the Year", but why not take advantage of a little history to do just that?

Did you know that, back in the day when the Colonies were young, it wasn't until 1752

that everyone got on board with the Gregorian Calendar and January First began each new year? For centuries, the New Year belonged to March 25th due to the fact that everyone followed the Julian calendar, which emphasized March 25th as the date of Jesus' conception. However, not only is that questionable (since theologians suggest Jesus was likely born in October), but the whole equinox thing was kind of a mess. In fact, to straighten things out, they had to lose eleven days in September—POOF!—just to get the calendar properly aligned.

Here's the thing, most of the world switched over to our "modern" Gregorian calendar in the 1500s, but it was another two centuries before the British joined the New Year party, because--you know England--they've always been sort of starchy about their traditions. Yet they eventually had to face it. The messed-up calendars affected trade and banking and even George Washington's birthday. (More on that in a sec.) 

So in 1752 Parliament passed the Calendar Act of 1750, and January 1st became the official New Year beginning in 1752.

What I find funny isn't that they changed the date so much as what the new year meant. It wasn't a time to celebrate Baby New Year coming in with a smooch under the mistletoe or tossing confetti. It was a time to collect the rents, pay the tax man, and handle annual paychecks. (Well, yeah for that last one anyway.) 

They did have a few fun traditions—some mumming and wassailing and visiting friends. Oh—and about George Washington... He changed his birthday from February 11th under the old Julian calendar to February 22 under the new one. I'm not sure what the people did who were born during that eleven-day elimination period in September. Maybe the summer loving ones grabbed a date closer to August and the harvest lovers aimed for October. I know which way I'd have gone.

again.

Naomi Musch 

https://naomimusch.com/

Before you go, mark your Gregorian calendars for Monday-Friday, Feb. 10-14 to get The Deepest Sigh (Echoes of the Heart, Book One) for FREE! Books Two and Three will also be on sale, but for FIVE DAYS ONLY!  

On Sale February 10-14, 2020