Hudson's Bay Company

The Hudson's Bay Company was a former fur trading company (now an American-owned retail business group) that was founded on May 2, 1675 in London, England. It played a major role in the fur trade in Canada and was once known for being the largest seller of beaver in the entire world. During the height of its power, it owned land from the Hudson Bay right to the Pacific Ocean called Rupert's Land. By the late 19th century, the company lost all of its lands after selling it to Canada as part of the Deed of Surrender; an order that oversaw the transferring of the Hudson Bay Drainiage Basin (Rupert's Land) to the newly formed Dominion of Canada. Besides fur, the HBC also sold products such as furniture and fine homeware. During the 1850's, the HBC was involved in the Pig War with the United States and is partially responsible for starting the conflict due to their obsession with Beaver, which was mostly found in the Columbia River located in the disputed Oregon Territory.