Colonization, Imperialism and the Hudson’s Bay Company: The Consequence of Classics on the Indigenous People of North America

In the 18th and 19th centuries, British Imperialism was reaching its peak in the New World (Bradley; Buckner). Operating on the territories of what is now collectively known as Canada, the Hudson’s Bay Company was incorporated by English Royal Charter in 1670 ("HBC Royal Charter"), and quickly came to dominate much of the English-controlled Hudson’s Bay drainage basin. Rigorous studies in Classics would have been at the centre of any upper-class gentleman’s schooling, and undoubtedly would have influenced how he saw and interacted with the world around him (Alexander; Bradley; Evans; Harris). The company’s first governor, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, was Classically educated in The Hague, Netherlands. Succeeding governors were similarly educated, and often looked to ancient sources for inspiration and guidance in daily life. With this in mind, I will be arguing that the colonization and subsequent genocide of the Indigenous peoples of North America are a consequence of Classics. Until now, this topic has been largely ignored. It is clear that there are vestiges of Roman imperialism within the framework of the Hudson’s Bay Company, all of which have passed through and been perpetuated by the minds of wealthy, white, European men. Ancient authors who commended expansionism and imperialism regularly referenced the use of mass violence and destruction as tools necessary to conquer others. In turn, I argue that these ancient sources have driven and influenced modern stances on colonization, specifically within the Hudson’s Bay Company and its interactions with the Indigenous people of North America.