The book unfolds chronologically, starting with pre-contact Indigenous trading networks and early European encounters. It dedicates significant attention to the consequences for Indigenous communities, including the alteration of traditional economies and the erosion of sovereignty.
By incorporating Indigenous perspectives and experiences, the book offers a unique and balanced understanding of this complex period in history, demonstrating how the fur trade served as a catalyst for irreversible change.
The later chapters examine the decline of the trade and its lasting legacies, including westward expansion and ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous communities.