John Jacob Astor story is truly one of rags to riches. He was born poor to a large family in Germany. He eventually made his way to the United States and became the wealthiest man in the country. His entrepreneurial endeavors in the fur trade and international trade earned him fortunes, but it was his investments in Manhatten real estate that earned his family true multi-generational wealth.

Studying Astor gives us more insight into how the wealthiest people in the world have used initial fortunes to build controlling stakes in other enterprises. It's also a case study for vertical integration in a sourcing and distribution business. Astor is also extremely adept at using the political system of the time to his advantage, and his story is filled with examples of how he tricked presidents and senior government officials into getting what he wanted.

Learning about Astor is a must for anyone interested in early American history and as a pre-cursor to the robber barons and industrial revolution.

A full list of citations for sources we relied on can be found at our blog: https://billiondollarempires.com.  Music credit: Inmenso by Charles Michel de Leon.

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