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The motion picture is set the Western United States in 1822-1823. This was an era when much of the American frontier was a wilderness peopled by often-hostile Native American tribes. The movie is set in the period when the fur trade was of great importance. In the movie, we see Di Caprio as part of an expedition that is hunting for furs in the Missouri Valley.
The movie expedition is based on a journey in 1822 by the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, also known as ‘Ashley’s Hundred.’ The fur company was active trapping furs west of the Missouri River. The portrayal of the expedition is remarkably accurate. The movie shows how the group relied on canoes and boats to travel by river. The motion picture also shows how the boats were hauled overland to other rivers to allow the trappers to cover a vast area quickly.
Near the beginning of the movie, the Arikara, a Native American tribe, attack the frontiersmen and trappers. They killed many of the trappers and stole their furs. Only a handful of Americans managed to escape, into the wilderness. This attack was based on an actual incident that took place. In June 1823, men from the Rocky Mountain Fur Company was attacked by Arikara warriors. Several hundred Native America warriors attacked the band of 70 or so trappers.
