John Jacob Astor and the First Great American Fortune

Häftad, Engelska, 2013

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Beskrivning

This biography analyzes Astor's rise from poor German immigrant in 1784 to the first modern millionaire--he was one before the term "millionaire" entered the English language. Many consider him to be the fourth wealthiest American of all times. After his death in 1848, the public began to discuss the "responsibility" of a millionaire. Some argued that he must have been greedy and cold. Some voices demanded that he should have given all his money back to the United States. More liberal thinkers praised him for his genius and vision.This biography presents a balanced picture. Astor was the founder of the first American settlement on the Pacific (Astoria, Oregon) and of New York's fine hotels the Astor House and the Waldorf-Astoria, as well as a developer of the American West and a fur trader. Many American cities and sites are named after him. He donated the Astor Library to the city of New York (it became the first public library of the city), now part of the New York Public Library.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2013-08-07
Mått:152 x 229 x 10 mm
Vikt:290 g
Format:Häftad
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:204
Förlag:McFarland & Co Inc
ISBN:9780786472130

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Mer om författaren

Alexander Emmerich teaches transatlantic cultural history at the University of Augsburg. He has written several books in German about American history, the history of the German-Americans, and the history of the Wild West.

Innehållsförteckning

Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction1. Origins, 1763–1780Family BackgroundAstor’s YouthThe Decision to Leave Germany2. Apprentice, 1780–1784 First Professional StepsCrossing the Atlantic Ocean 3. Immigrant, 1784–1800Arriving in New YorkFollowing Native American PathsFamily and Social Network 4. Visionary, 1800–1815 Enter the China Trade Real Estate on the RiseFounding the American Fur Company Astoria, OregonThe War of 1812 and the Loss of Astoria Astor and the Peace Treaty of Ghent5. Global Player, 1815–1834The Formation of the Second Bank of the United States Business GeniusReturning to Europe Trade on the FrontierRetreat from Business 6. New Yorker, 1834–1848 The Astor HouseWashington Irving’s Astoria Economic Crisis and Immigration WavesAge and DeathAstor’s Last Will—Founding a Dynasty Astor’s Public Image and Legacy 7. Astor Revisited—Afterthoughts Notes Bibliography Index