The turning point in Pacific Northwest history came with the discovery of how lucrative furs were in trade. The British were losing interest in the Pacific Northwest; Captain Cook traded with native Americans and received some sea otter pelts. After Cook's death, his crew sailed to Canton and discovered that the sea otter pelts were worth a fortune (Lecture, “Discovery” of the Pacific Northwest). This discovery kicked off the Pacific fur trade and put the Pacific Northwest on European maps. The economy was transformed as the demand for furs increased as did the prices set forth by Indian traders (Textbook, Sea Otter Trade). Native Americans set the terms, and Europeans and American traders had to comply with their norms. Anyone who wanted to
