Which company took over the French fur trade route through the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes?

• A. Hudson's Bay Company
• B. Canadien Trading Union
• C. North West Company
• D. New World Commerce

Answer: (C)

This question is about who dominated the fur trade along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. Controlling these water routes meant access to many Indigenous trappers and a way to move furs to European markets via Montreal and other ports. The North West Company formed specifically to challenge the Hudson’s Bay Company and built a strong network of trading posts across the Great Lakes region, giving them the power to take over the trade along this corridor. The Hudson’s Bay Company was the other major trader, but its strength lay more in inland routes north and west from Hudson Bay rather than the St. Lawrence–Great Lakes route. The other names aren’t the well-known competitors in this particular arena. So the best answer is the North West Company.