...An Interesting look into John Jacob Astor and the American Fur Trade Upon winning the Revolutionary War Americans were filled with a compulsion to manifest their destiny. They were Gods chosen people after all. What could possibly come in the way of them achieving what was their God given right, their destiny? The fur trade draws its roots from early exploration in America. The fur trade was an entirely simple concept that relied on pillaging mother nature's resources to turn the dollar. The fur trade set the mold for the modern day American corporations. It was the first industry in U.S. history to receive a federal subsidy; which is a form of government assistance to help out with financial needs and accommodations (sounds kinda of familiar to thecompanies of today eh?). Fur trading has been going on for centuries, dating back to Jacques Cartier (an explorer from France who would go on to claim what is currently Canada for France) who set voyage through the Canadian wilderness almost five hundred years ago. This industry is a cornerstone in the American business realm, and also in pioneering the early Pacific North West. The company that managed to get set up first in the new west was an upstart business that went by the name of the Pacific Northwest Company. They were an early titan among American big business. Their founder was John Jacob Astor. "John Jacob Astor, the son of a farmer, was born in Waldorf, Germany in 1763. When he was sixteen he moved to London...
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...Biography[edit] Early life[edit] John Jacob Astor was born in Walldorf,[5][6] near Heidelberg in the old Palatinate which became part of the Duchy of Baden in 1803 (now in Rhein-Neckar-Kreis in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany). He was the youngest son of butcher Johann Jacob Astor (July 7, 1724 – April 18, 1816) and Maria Magdalena Vorfelder (1730–1836).[7] His three elder brothers were George (born Georg) (April 28, 1752 – December 1813), Henry (born Heinrich) (1754–1833), and Melchior (1759–?). Astor's career began in Germany, where he worked as an assistant in his father's business, as a dairy salesman. In 1779, at age 16, he moved to London, where he anglicized his name and learned English while working for his eldest brother George, manufacturing musical instruments.[8] He arrived in the United States in March 1784, just after the end of the Revolutionary War. His second brother Henry preceded him to New York, establishing a butcher shop with which Astor was initially involved. He traded furs with Native Americans and in the late 1780s started a fur goods shop in New York City. He also became the New York agent of his brother's musical instrument business.[9] Henry was also a horse racing enthusiast, and purchased a thoroughbred named Messenger, who had been brought from England to America in 1788. The horse became the founding sire of all Standardbred horses in the United States today. On September 19, 1785, Astor married Sarah Todd (1761–1834), the daughter...
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...American Fur Company John Jacob Astor, founder of the American Fur Company, was the creator of the first trust or monopoly, and he was the first multi-millionaire in the United States. His fortune came primarily from the fur trade. Born on July 17, 1763 in Waldorf, Germany, his cleverness, guile, and business suave shaped the early American frontier. Arriving in New York in 1783, he soon began to buy furs from trappers and Indians, establishing a fur goods shop in New York. In 1794, the Jay Treaty between Great Britain and the United States opened new markets in Canada and the Great Lakes region. Astor affected three major sections of the nation: Business, Society, and Government. With regard to businesses, he mastered the fur trade industry to near perfection with his use of predatory pricing, market manipulation, and trade routes to increase his supply and expansion into new markets. Within society, Americans from the past to present can credit John Jacob Astor and the American Fur Company to many benefits and consequences felt within society. Those who understand the full impact of American Fur Company will agree that Astor’s greed and blatant exploitation of people and resources came at such a high cost to some parts of society that it may have outweighed any good. Lastly, government, which was supposed to protect society, began to realize that they would have to intervene with the private sector in order to ensure human rights. It was through Astor’s actions...
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...establish in America. The company was started by John Jacob Astor an immigrant from Germany. His ambitions were immense and sometime overshadow his judgment, which lead to many questionable ethical decisions. Astor’s company was based on supplying fur product to consumer mainly in Europe where the fashion trend was all about fur. The company main source of resources were from Native American whom were expect at hunting and harvesting the fur from different animal specially beaver. Astor exploits the cultural differences of the native by trading simple western trinket for fur as well as alcohol. Alcohol however was prohibit which gave him advantage over the government fur trading business which he let trade freely during transaction which also lead to inebriated native as well as making some addicted to the product. All of this was to give him leverage and advantage in the trade, which create an ethical dilemma of breaking the law as well as taking advantage of cultural differences. Then native wasn’t the only one exploited, even his trader and trapper fared no better. He would mark up trade goods heavily before selling them to traders, which lead to many being in debt and mortgaging their trading post to him. Trapper worked unlimited hours and in harsh condition with little pay. He basically created a system that amplified his fortune by diminishing those whom are caught in its working. Fur was the big commodity then and Astor wasn’t the only one in the game. As mention before...
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...John Jacob Astor IV Born July 13, 1864 in Rhinebeck, New York, John Jacob Astor IV was born into one of the most prosperous families in America. He was an American businessman, real estate developer, investor, inventor, writer, Philanthropist, and a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish American War. The beginning of the Astor family originated from Italian and German roots. Settling in North America in the 18th century. John Jacob Astor, the first, was one of the wealthiest people in history. Their family's fur trading company established a fur trading post on the Columbia river at Fort Astoria. This was the first United States community on the Pacific coast. This community played a key role in English and American territorial claims. John Jacob...
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...objects without having to use a rope and walk between them. The Dutch mathematician Frisius showed this knowledge to land measurers. However, instruments were needed for measuring angles etc e.g. quadrants and sector that Gunter was passionate about. He later landed a job with Edmund Spenser, and published a book that was translated from Latin to English for use by surveyors and sailors, and a chain of 22 yards for measurement. Previously, the math used came from the Greeks, but the method was imperfect. Gunther’s chain provided a means of making private property and establishing a market for land due to its consistency in results. Linklator goes on to talk about land in the U.S during the early days of its conception. A large sum of John Jacob Astor’s came from the property he owed in Manhattan which grew exponentially in value within a few decades. City planners were debating how to draw up the streets of Manhattan, and plots of land that is easy to divide sells easier, thus the streets of NYC were draw with right angles and straight line gridiron, using Gunther’s chain. This development led to the rapid spread of real estate speculation and the building of densely...
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...high costs on clothing and sugar, profits of 300-400 percent, and even diluted the whiskey he sold them with water (51). He also used alcohol in negotiations with the Indians after Congress had banned alcohol on Indian territories. If this story teaches anything about the relationship between virtue and success, it’s that they do not always go hand in hand. Astor had little to no virtues, yet was able to become highly successful in the world of business. 2.) The environment of the company changed in the 1830’s with the belief that Cholera was spread through the trade. This had a negative effect on the trade. Also, new silk hats that didn’t require fur in their production were also driving down the demand of furs. During this time Congress also passed a law that banned alcohol on the Indian territories, which many people in the industry used to barter with the natives. Historical forces that are implicated in these changes include inequality, globalization, chance and nation state. 3.) Impacts on society were tremendous. In the dimension of the economic environment, profits soared and a monopoly was created as Astor was able to purchase furs at a fraction of the final selling price and since they were so light, he could transport them for cheap. The technological environment was affected through the invention of the steamboat that could travel up river faster to catch and transport beaver....
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...1). Astor’s motive and managerial ability are without equal. Astor may have ended his life rich, but he started out poor and hungry as a child of a butcher in Waldorf Germany. With nothing but motivation and determination he worked his way to the Americas and started working at a bakery, saving what he could to work the fur circuits. It was through his motivation for wealth that he started his fur empire, but his managerial skills that let him maintain it. Many times Astor was thrown a curve ball and when it came at him he managed to hit a homerun. This is seen when Astor had to sell Astoria, his fur empire on the pacific coast, for a fraction of its worth to the British. It was through Astor’s managerial ability that he got congress to forbid foreign fur trading in the US. After doing this he bought out their interests and his monopoly was born. As for Astor’s ethics, they were towards money and not towards fair treatment. The US congress passed a law that the Indian’s were not to bet taken advantage of, Astor did not adhere to these rules but instead traded low price trinkets for high value furs making a 4,900 percent profit to which 99.9 percent of it went to himself. Another example of Astor’s lack of ethics is when he let the Indians use credit so that they would be in debt to him and they would not be able buy from any other sellers. Astor’s career shows that there is no relation between virtue and success, his lesson would have to be (don’t let virtue get in the way...
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...Chapter 1 and 2 3. Economic Impacts: The fur trade provided a great amount of money and richness to Astor and its company. It also created work agreements. Thus, it made a huge contribution to economic improvement in North America and supported employment and income for many people. Technological Impacts: Astor had new technological innovations to travel Missouri. First, he introduced the steamboat, Yellowstone, then keelboat Cultural Impacts: When Indians contacted Europeans, Indians got familiar with lots of new artifacts. Thus, Indian traders began to seek profits and gain money to have their own properties. Governmental Impacts: Astor bribed and suborned some politicians including a president. That shows that American political system was not well based and taking advantage over government was easy. Natural Impacts: The fur traders destroyed forests to trade posts and find fuel. They also, killed lots of animals. Legal Impacts: Because the fur traders bribed politicians they had the upper hand against government, competitors and people. Therefore, governments had some new laws and regulations. Internal Impacts: Astor dominated American Fur Company and considered nothing but himself and his company's revenue. 4. The most important stakeholders were Astor as an owner, employees, customers, suppliers and government. They were not treated responsibly at all. For example, Indian trappers were cheated, robbed and even killed. Also, the fur...
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...Case Study: The American Fur Company 1. In terms of motives, managerial ability, and ethics, Astor can be viewed as a man with practically no resolve. His thought processes were extremely egotistical and had no morals. He was self roused by benefits to end up the biggest and just American Fur organization, owning 99.9% of the stock and making a special effort to squash rivals, hoarding the business. His administrative capacities were awesome, permitting him to grow and get hides basically for about nothing, making benefits on all parts of the work including transportation and wages. Morals this man did not have, making an organization on what seemed like morals promising to manage Indians genuinely and issue stocks to other, neither of which happened. Temperance and achievement have no relationship for Astor's situation. Astor had high achievement however poor or extremely humbler temperance. Indeed, even to the end of his life he contributed little to society. For Astor achievement was a temperance and disappointment was impossible. 2. In 1832, individuals trusted that the exchange of this product was what was bringing about the spread of cholera. This made individuals quit needing to exchange the product. At that point in 1837, the steamboat, conveyed smallpox up the Mississippi, murdering more than 17,000 individuals. Additionally, in the mid 1800s the pattern changed from hide to silk . The authentic strengths that embroiled these progressions were globalization...
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...battle axes, 600 pounds of vermillion, 200 pounds of verdigris, 16 gross of clay pipes, 10,000 pounds of gunpowder, 20,000 pounds of lead and 12,000 pounds of tobacco, and 1,500 gallons of liquor. She reached Cantonment Leavenworth on May 1st and the company's Fort Tecumseh (later Fort Pierre, and now the vicinity of Pierre, South Dakota) on June 19, before being stopped by low water. Disappointed, Chouteau realized that they could not reach Fort Union that season, and resigned to try again next year, starting earlier to take advantage of the spring rise. They set out downriver for St. Louis on the last day of June and arrived there within ten days. Chouteau's consolation, quickly recognized by newspapers all over the United States and by Jacob Astor himself,...
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...guests. It was a temporary structure, and it appeared substantial with a thin layer of plaster. Sold his hotels to Hilton in 1901. (1887-1979) Conrad Hilton: in 1946 he formed the Hilton Hotels Corporation and in 1948 the Hilton International Company (more than 125 hotels). With the purchase of the Statler chain in 1954, Hilton created the first major chain of modern American Hotels ( group of hotels that follow standard operating procedures in marketing, reservations, quality of service, food and beverage operations, housekeeping and accounting. Cesar Ritz: was a hotelier at the Grand National Hotel in Switzeland, and because of his management abilities, the hotel became one of the most popular in Europe. William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor: in 1893, Wiliam Waldorf launched the 13 story Waldorf hotel at Nex York City. The hotel combined the opulence of a European mansion with the warmth and homey qualities of a private residence. 4 years later, the Waldorf was joined by the Astoria Hotel. They were connected with a corridor, and changed the name to Waldorf-Astoria. Kemmons Wilson: started the Holiday Inn chain in the early 1950s. He wanted to build a chain of hotels fot the traveling family and later expanded his marketing plan to include business travellers. Wilson blazed a formidable path, innovating with amenities and high-rise architecture, including a successful round building concept featuring surprisingly functional pie-shaped rooms. He introduced the...
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...Herman Melville (1819-1891) Context and Background “Bartleby the Scrivener” was written in 1853, born in New York City, he was considered an “1870 writer”. Melville was one of the first American writers able to make a living off writing. People were interested in reading fiction, and “Moby Dick” was not common or appealing to the general population but holds merit today. He wrote “relatable” fiction, and people liked to read travel logs and exciting adventure stories (escapist literature). Moby Dick is not a relatable story due to the context of the scenarios, but it is considered an artistic novel because it is obscure and challenging. Melville wrote in two different modes; strange, difficult and unrealistic compared to relatable, realistic fiction. Bartleby the Scrivener contains elements of both; it is set in a New York office yet still continues weird elements. It was meant to be accessible and was considered “Great Literature” because it is symbolic, subtle and ironic. Bartleby the Scrivener * The boss is governed by the obligations of Wall Street, but also contains sympathetic traits towards Bartleby. Bartleby, who we do not know, is insane, stubborn, or stupid, and his behaviour is left up for interpretation. * Historical context: In the right hand corner of America, the Puritans went from England to settle in this area for religious reasons. New York was founded by the Dutch and they intended to set up a trading post. War was fought between these 2 groups,...
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...Bloodlines of Illuminati by: Fritz Springmeier, 1995 Introduction: I am pleased & honored to present this book to those in the world who love the truth. This is a book for lovers of the Truth. This is a book for those who are already familiar with my past writings. An Illuminati Grand Master once said that the world is a stage and we are all actors. Of course this was not an original thought, but it certainly is a way of describing the Illuminati view of how the world works. The people of the world are an audience to which the Illuminati entertain with propaganda. Just one of the thousands of recent examples of this type of acting done for the public was President Bill Clinton’s 1995 State of the Union address. The speech was designed to push all of the warm fuzzy buttons of his listening audience that he could. All the green lights for acceptance were systematically pushed by the President’s speech with the help of a controlled congressional audience. The truth on the other hand doesn’t always tickle the ear and warm the ego of its listeners. The light of truth in this book will be too bright for some people who will want to return to the safe comfort of their darkness. I am not a conspiracy theorist. I deal with real facts, not theory. Some of the people I write about, I have met. Some of the people I expose are alive and very dangerous. The darkness has never liked the light. Yet, many of the secrets of the Illuminati are locked up tightly simply because secrecy is a way...
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...It was able to enhance the message in the movie more so by emphasizing that no matter what even if the lives of Jack and Ross was at stake, their love to prevail and stay true. Many aspects of the setting made the movie seem very believable right down from how the sets where built to the costumes were made. It captured the time period well and even made very similar matches to the actors who where based of real people actually present at the sinking of the Titanic. Examples of the similarly casted crew with real people were Bernard Hill casted for Captain Edward John Smith, Kathy Bates casted for Margaret "Molly" Brown, Eric Braeden casted for John Jacob Astor, Victor Garber casted for Thomas Andrews, and Jonathan Hyde casted for Bruce Ismay (Titanic Movie vs. Titanic History). Some other examples of how well the setting supports the film is when they shot a scene of the city at the time to the clothing and the ship’s...
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