Author: Gustavus MyersPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Capitalists and financiers
Languages : en
Pages : 440
Book Description
I. pt. I. Conditions in settlement and colonial times. pt. II. The great land fortunes.--II-III. Great fortunes from railroads.
Author: Gustavus MyersHistory of the Great American Fortunes (Volume Two)
Author: Gustavus MyersPublisher: The Minerva Group, Inc.
ISBN: 1410203417
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 389
Book Description
Originally published in 1910, a primary source for the business and development of American power in the nineteenth century. As Myers describes in his preface, it was the fashion in the early twentieth century to write of the multi-millionaires in an unfavorable light, as if they were all robber barons and had no social conscience. In his history he was attempting to be more realistic in his perspective. Volume one tells of the colonization of America and the large land grants and the great land fortunes. Volumes two and three cover the great fortunes from railroads, with extensive material on J. P. Morgan in relation to that category. Gustavus Myers (1872-1942) was an American historian who worked on a number of newspapers and magazines in New York City, joined the Populist party and the Social Reform Club, and was a member (1907-12) of the Socialist party. Such books as The History of Tammany Hall (1901), History of the Great American Fortunes (1910), and History of the Supreme Court of the United States (1912) were detailed, realistic exposes through which Myers made his reputation in the muckraking era of American literature.
Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America
Author: Eric Jay DolinPublisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393079244
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 494
Book Description
A Seattle Times selection for one of Best Non-Fiction Books of 2010 Winner of the New England Historial Association's 2010 James P. Hanlan Award Winner of the Outdoor Writers Association of America 2011 Excellence in Craft Award, Book Division, First Place "A compelling and well-annotated tale of greed, slaughter and geopolitics." —Los Angeles Times As Henry Hudson sailed up the broad river that would one day bear his name, he grew concerned that his Dutch patrons would be disappointed in his failure to find the fabled route to the Orient. What became immediately apparent, however, from the Indians clad in deer skins and "good furs" was that Hudson had discovered something just as tantalizing. The news of Hudson's 1609 voyage to America ignited a fierce competition to lay claim to this uncharted continent, teeming with untapped natural resources. The result was the creation of an American fur trade, which fostered economic rivalries and fueled wars among the European powers, and later between the United States and Great Britain, as North America became a battleground for colonization and imperial aspirations. In Fur, Fortune, and Empire, best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin chronicles the rise and fall of the fur trade of old, when the rallying cry was "get the furs while they last." Beavers, sea otters, and buffalos were slaughtered, used for their precious pelts that were tailored into extravagant hats, coats, and sleigh blankets. To read Fur, Fortune, and Empire then is to understand how North America was explored, exploited, and settled, while its native Indians were alternately enriched and exploited by the trade. As Dolin demonstrates, fur, both an economic elixir and an agent of destruction, became inextricably linked to many key events in American history, including the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812, as well as to the relentless pull of Manifest Destiny and the opening of the West. This work provides an international cast beyond the scope of any Hollywood epic, including Thomas Morton, the rabble-rouser who infuriated the Pilgrims by trading guns with the Indians; British explorer Captain James Cook, whose discovery in the Pacific Northwest helped launch America's China trade; Thomas Jefferson who dreamed of expanding the fur trade beyond the Mississippi; America's first multimillionaire John Jacob Astor, who built a fortune on a foundation of fur; and intrepid mountain men such as Kit Carson and Jedediah Smith, who sliced their way through an awe inspiring and unforgiving landscape, leaving behind a mythic legacy still resonates today. Concluding with the virtual extinction of the buffalo in the late 1800s, Fur, Fortune, and Empire is an epic history that brings to vivid life three hundred years of the American experience, conclusively demonstrating that the fur trade played a seminal role in creating the nation we are today.
The Founders' Fortunes
Author: Willard Sterne RandallPublisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1524745928
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
An illuminating financial history of the Founding Fathers, revealing how their personal finances shaped the Constitution and the new nation In 1776, upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers concluded America’s most consequential document with a curious note, pledging “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” Lives and honor did indeed hang in the balance, yet just what were their fortunes? How much did the Founders stand to gain or lose through independence? And what lingering consequences did their respective financial stakes have on liberty, justice, and the fate of the fledgling United States of America? In this landmark account, historian Willard Sterne Randall investigates the private financial affairs of the Founders, illuminating like never before how and why the Revolution came about. The Founders’ Fortunes uncovers how these leaders waged war, crafted a constitution, and forged a new nation influenced in part by their own financial interests. In an era where these very issues have become daily national questions, the result is a remarkable and insightful new understanding of our nation’s bedrock values.
Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor
Author: Richard R. BeemanPublisher: Basic Books (AZ)
ISBN: 046502629X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 530
Book Description
Describes the political, diplomatic, and military challenges faced by the delegates from the 13 colonies at the Continental Congress and how they came together to agree to free themselves from British rule and forge independence for America.
Author: Gustavus MyersFortune's Children
Author: Arthur T. Vanderbilt, IIPublisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062288377
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 601
Book Description
Vanderbilt: the very name signifies wealth. The family patriarch, "the Commodore," built up a fortune that made him the world's richest man by 1877. Yet, less than fifty years after the Commodore's death, one of his direct descendants died penniless, and no Vanderbilt was counted among the world's richest people. Fortune's Children tells the dramatic story of all the amazingly colorful spenders who dissipated such a vast inheritance.
History of The Great American Fortunes, Vol. I
Author: Gustavus MyersPublisher: Prabhat Prakashan
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 388
Book Description
History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I by Gustavus Myers is a seminal work that offers a deep exploration of the origins and growth of wealth and power in the United States. This comprehensive historical account spans from the colonial era to the late 19th century, shedding light on the economic forces, political maneuverings, and societal implications behind the rise of influential American families. Key aspects of History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I: Wealth and Influence: Gustavus Myers meticulously traces the paths of prominent American families as they amassed vast fortunes and consolidated power. Through detailed research and analysis, he reveals the intricate web of economic activities, monopolistic practices, and political alliances that propelled these families to the top of the social hierarchy.Socioeconomic Impact: The book goes beyond individual biographies, examining the broader impact of wealth accumulation on society. Myers delves into the exploitation of labor, the concentration of wealth, and the resultant inequalities and social divisions that arose during this transformative period of American history. Critical Lens: Myers presents a critical perspective on the traditional narratives of American exceptionalism and the myth of the self-made man. He exposes the mechanisms that facilitated the rise of great fortunes, including political corruption, favorable legislation, and the manipulation of economic systems, challenging popular notions of meritocracy. History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I provides readers with a thought-provoking exploration of wealth, power, and the complex interplay between economics, politics, and society in the United States. Gustavus Myers, an American journalist and historian, dedicated his life to the study of social and economic inequality. Born in 1872, Myers conducted extensive research and authored several influential books, including History of the Great American Fortunes and The History of Tammany Hall. His works shed light on the power dynamics, corruption, and injustices prevalent in American society during the Gilded Age. Myers' commitment to exposing systemic inequities and advocating for social reform continues to inspire critical examination of economic disparities and their impact on society.
Fortunes of History
Author: Donald R. KelleyPublisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300128290
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 440
Book Description
In Fortunes of History Donald R. Kelley offers an authoritative examination of historical writing during the “long nineteenth century”—the years from the French Revolution to those just after the First World War. He provides a comprehensive analysis of the theories and practices of British, French, German, Italian, and American schools of historical thought, their principal figures, and their distinctive methods and self-understandings. Kelley treats the modern traditions of European world and national historiography from the Enlightenment to the “new histories” of the twentieth century, attending not only to major authors and schools but also to methods, scholarship, criticisms, controversies, ideological questions, and relations to other disciplines.
