...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 of success). This is the way he lived his life as a businessman, on many occasions he bribed federal officials in charge of enforcing fur trade laws. 2). In the 1830’s the consensus seems to be against the fur trade industry, I believe that Astor may have pushed to...
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...The American Fur Company was one of the most prosperous company 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...
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...of many employees who all have working rights so the company should retain those all rights given to their respective workers. NO Corporations are representative of many people, and as each person is an individual one company cannot support all the views of all of its employee's and beneficiaries, nor do they require the same protections form large groups or oppressive organizations or people as an individual person does. An individual needs to be protected by something when they cannot protect themselves where corporations already posses enough protections that they do not need the addition of free speech. Just because something is "made of people" doesn't mean it should get the exact same protections as people. Corporations have much greater protections through monetary means than individuals--just like governments. It is for this very reason that the constitution gave individuals these protections. Once corporations are able to feel like individuals, be exploited like individuals, and are able to suffer and feel joy like actual humans, then they can have the same rights. the people who own, run or work for corporations already have their (personal) Constitutional rights, precisely because they are people. Giving extra rights to corporations would be grossly unfair, as it would give the people who own, run, and work for corporations access to more rights than the rest of us have. For example, most adult American people have a constitutional right to vote. If corporations...
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...only person that will have American Fur Company. Astor has a great managerial ability because he was expanding the business and controlling the market. But, Astor has no ethics because he did not do the promises of the deal. Astor has no virtue but has success in his story. The lesson learned is that even if you do not know anything about an industry you can learn it and you become the leader of that industry. 2- In 1832, cholera started to expand between people. People thought that cholera was coming from the trading of fur. 3- Economic: Fur has lightweight to be shipped and to be transported by different ways to the ports. So, it can be exported to the rest of the world. Natural: Because of the high demand of fur, the mountain life was destroyed. Legal: There was no problem because the government did not organize the trade process. Governmental: There was no problem with the government because Astor knows that they will accept alcohol. 4- I think the important stakeholders are the Indians. They were treated responsibly by the standards of that day, but not in the standards of today. 5- In my opinion, it has negative impact because the American Fur Company reduces the population of that kind of animal. 6- Yes, I think that American Fur Company changed the concept of monopolizing and capitalism. 7- Yes, I think business and society model apply to this case. Because the business is Astor’s company, he only cares about his...
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...The American Fur Company 1.) Astor’s motive was second to none, he came to America with virtually nothing, yet it did not stop him from becoming the richest man in America at one point. He was highly self-motivated, mainly by profits and power. His managerial ability was also great as he was able to expand his trade operations and profit off of every piece of the industry. This however, was very unethical. TO explain, he gained profits through charging his employees 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...
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...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 traders bribed politicians...
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...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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...rich. His success started with vision in mind of having his own fur business. I think vision helps one to get successful if one follows his/her goal consistently and disciplinarily. He was a man full of traits like attention to details, determination and had a great foresight. After he married Sarah Todd, he opened his own musical instrument shop in mother-in-law’s house. Now we want to know why he opened musical instrument shop instead of Fur Company. He opened the musical instrument shop from the dowry’s money. And opening a fur company requires a huge investment. But it was the beginning of building capital and starting his career. Even though he opened the musical instrument shop, he was engaged in fur trading, he left the shop in order to travel to different places to establish the relationship with fur merchants (domestic and international) while Sarah was looking after the shop. By 1788, Astor was involved in fur trading with Montreal. There he bought furs and it got shipped to London and Rotterdam and finally to New York. Here a question may arise Why not ship fur directly to New York as it would save time? Because of the British Merchant Policy that it did not allow direct shipment from Montreal to New York. But this policy was lifted after the Jay’s Treaty. This allowed direct trade to Canada. At the same time, he was also involved in fur trade with Indians. He sold the Indian goods in return for furs. He was doing very well in his business. By 1800, he was worth...
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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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...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 of Scottish immigrant Adam Todd and Sarah Cox.[10][11] Although she brought him a dowry of only $300, she possessed a frugal mind and a business judgment that he declared better than that of most merchants, and she assisted him in the practical details of his business.[12] Fortune from fur trade[edit] Astor took advantage of the Jay Treaty between England and the United States in 1794, which...
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...The rest were natives V. The natives, Métis, and Country-born A. Country-born 1. Most came from the Hudson Bay area. 2. They usually had Scottish or British fathers. 3. They were Anglican 4. They farmed the land. B. Métis 1. They were strongly Catholic. 2. The Sayer Trial a. Métis started resenting the power of the Hudson Bay Company over the settlement. b. In 1849, the Hudson Bay Company arrested Mr. Pierre Sayer for illegally selling furs to other native groups. c. Two to three hundred Métis lined up in front of the courthouse where he was to be tried. d. Sayer was found guilty. e. Rioting started while the verdict was being read. f. The judge refused to pass down a sentence fearing for his life. g. Sayer was set free. C. The Métis and the Country-born doubled every fifteen to twenty years. The Plains natives, however, decreased. 1. Smallpox epidemics (1837-1838) a. It was carried down the rivers (Saskatchewan and Missouri Rivers). b. It spread rapidly because the natives lived together in communal dwellings. c. Three thousand five hundred natives, Métis, and Country-born died. d. The Cree survived. 2. Scarlet Fever...
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...John Henry Weber was born in 1779 in Denmark. He grew up and spent five years in a German speaking environment. He lived and grew up in Altona, Hamburg before he moved out to Ste. Genevieve. He got hired as a recorder for his American job. He later became an assistant superintendent for the Government Mines of Missouri. As for that job, he would sometimes mine, lead particularly. He later moved to Bellevue, Iowa. There he started his fur trap company with William Ashley and Andrew Henry. The company was named the Ashly Henry Fur Trade Company, but later became the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. He and his company started out in St. Louis Missouri. His company spent a year in the Salt Lake Valley where they trapped beaver. In winters, his company...
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...History of the Indian Frontier Wars In today’s world, Americans aren’t known to “take over” Indians land. Why so? It has been done in the early revolution dating back to the year of 1622. Before 1622, North America was mainly claimed by the Indian folk. However, the settlers that ventured into North America believed that the Indians had no right claiming the land, and soon took over, as time progressed. As the years went on, disagreements amongst the English men and Indians grew. In the year of 1622, Indian’s lives changed forever and became an important role in Indian history. Hearts and souls of the Indian people were poured into the Indian Frontier Wars, believing their way of living would be given back to them. Little did they know, they would be stripped of their land and forced to move elsewhere. Before 1622, Indians welcomed the settlers who ventured their way to North America. Although the English men weren’t interested in intertwining with the Indians, eastern Indians were welcoming and felt as though the luxuries of the settlers would benefit their lifestyle. According to Eric Fosner’s Give Me Liberty!: An American History,” Woven cloth, metal kettles, iron axes, fishhooks, hoes, and guns were quickly integrated in Indian life.” (56) As the 17th century went along, more and more settlers invaded Indians land in North America, which soon became a problem. Settlers believed that North American land wasn’t officially claimed by the Indians because of the lacking...
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...Course Code: HIST 200 Instructor: Dr. Jim Wood Student # 1011080 Date: March 25, 2012 “Women in Between”: Indian Women in Fur Trade Society in Western Canada”, written by Sylvia Van Kirk assesses the lives of Indian women in the fur trade. The article expresses both the positive and negative aspects of being an Indian woman in the fur trade as well as their motives for marrying European fur traders. The article contributes to our understanding of the fur trade society by focusing on the motives and actions of Indian women in the fur trade which furthers our knowledge of Canadian history prior to confederation. Sylvia Van Kirk used a vast selection of sources when writing the article on the Women in Between. The article references other similar writings of Indian history using various articles, books, journals and bibliographies to gather information and data. This article is referenced in other similar writings as she as well has drawn some excellent conclusions from her own research. Since much of the documented history of Indian women is written by men observing the situation and circumstances it is difficult to determine how viable the sources are. It seems that some of the sources contradict whether the situations of these women were positive or negative or whether they had anything to gain. Some sources explain that many of these women willingly looked for these alliances as their ability to gain higher status in society was superior. Other sources...
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...lived” (Ojibwe History, 2006) and it would be best to leave. Around 1534 European traders and missionaries found the tribe living on the shores of the Great Lakes, close to what is called Sault Ste. Marie. The Ojibwe adapted to the new world order via exchanging fur, for other goods and services, this continued until early 17th century. In 1603, Samuel de Champlain came to Canada. He and the French authorities developed the fur trading system where the native people had to travel all the way to the Quebec region to trade their furs for regulated quantities of sewing goods, cooking pots, clothing and knives. (Ojibwe History, 2006). The trade agreement ran relatively smoothly until 1611, which Champlain hired a man named Etienne Brule, to explore the land and find new opportunities for trade for the...
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