What was the outcome of Anthony Henday's journey to persuade First Nations to trade at Hudson Bay?

• A. He established a successful trade route.
• B. He discovered a new river.
• C. He established a mission.
• D. He was unable to convince Niitsitapi to trade.

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is understanding how early fur-trade efforts depended not just on reaching distant lands, but on building receptive relationships with Indigenous nations. Anthony Henday pushed into the interior and sought to persuade the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) to trade with the Hudson’s Bay Company. Although his journey proved that the interior was reachable and opened eyes to new geography, the Niitsitapi did not agree to trade with Hudson’s Bay at that time. No inland trade network or mission was established as a result. This shows that exploration alone didn’t guarantee commerce; forming durable trade ties required mutual willingness, trust, and ongoing negotiations.