Lesson activities to accompany the vignette "First Economies" from the acclaimed Knowledge Network series; Working People: A History of Labour in British Columbia. The vignette explores the pre-existing economy in British Columbia prior to colonization. The significant role played by the BC first Nations in the establishment and prosperity of British Columbia is explored in these materials. This is a unit created by the Labour History Project, a group of retired and current British Columbia teachers collaborating to develop a series of lesson plans, activities, and workshops focused on labour studies and labour history.