Thanks Diane -----Original Message----- From: Diane Sheppard Each year from late March through late May, our voyageur ancestors were hired to travel to the Detroit, the Great Lakes, and the Mississippi Valley. Please visit the Fur Trade page on the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan’s website. The text and the articles in the left column and the Fort St. Joseph booklet discuss how the fur trade operated during the French Regime versus the British and American Regimes. There are significant differences, including the fact that the voyageurs were hired as canoe paddlers, not fur trappers; and the canoe sizes were significantly smaller than what is shown in most paintings. Additionally, the regulations, licenses, permits, and post leases for Detroit, Michilimackinac, and Fort St. Joseph meant that not only were Native or métis Women not encouraged to marry or have children by French Canadians, but these relationships would not provide either party with a significant advantage in the these communities. http://www.habitantheritage.org/french-canadian_resources/the_fur_trade French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan - The Fur Trade in New France http://www.habitantheritage.org/french-canadian_resources/the_fur_trade homepage http://www.habitantheritage.org/home Suzanne's Book http://www.habitantheritage.org/books