The History Of Communication History Essay

The History Of Communication History Essay Before the discovery of radio waves, telegraphy had been developed as a means of communication. Telegraph meant long-distance writing in Greek. Earlier means of communication included smoke signals, torch signaling, heliographs (flash mirrors), and signal flags were used to convey message over distance (Crowley Heyer, 2002; Farnham, 2005). In the 18th century various methods of communication came into use. They were mainly used in the military arena during the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars. This period marked the development of the first optical telegraph system. By the mid 1800s this system covered about 5000 km and involved more than 550 stations (Farnham, 2005). In the Late 1800s first radio signals were sent across the English Channel. During the titanic disaster, the challenges of unresponsive ineffective radio operators were witnessed. This led to the enactment of Radio Act of 1912. This required that at least two radio operators be on board all vessels carrying more than 50 passengers, and at least one operator be on duty in the Marconi room all the times while the vessel was underway (Farnham, 2005). The 1912s marked the development of radio telephony, or voiceless communication using radio waves in safety and military communications. During this period, the development of amateur radios was taking place in countries with this technology. Amateur radio operator, Hiram Percy Maxim came up with what is now known as the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) whose role was to set up a voluntary network of associated radio amateurs to facilitate the long-range relay of radiograms. The reliability and accuracy of relaying messages through such means was very important for military, commercial and public services (Farnham, 2005). Microfinance is the practice of making small loans to farmers or business owners too poor to provide collateral. The research could help lenders establish more successful microfinance operations. Details are published in the Journal of Development Economics. What this helps us do is better understand which microbanks are successful throughout the developing world-and why, says Christian Ahlin, associate professor of economics at Michigan State University. The microfinance movement has exploded during the past two decades, Ahlin notes, with more than 100 million customers now borrowing small loans from more than 10,000 microfinance institutions around the world. The movement was thrust into the spotlight in 2006 when Grameen Bank, a Bangladesh microbank, and its founder, Muhammad Yunus, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Ahlin and colleagues from New York University and the University of Minnesota examined the experiences of 373 microbanks worldwide. Because borrowers of microloans typically are third-world farmers or operators of tiny businesses in rural, isolated settings, it wasnt clear how they are linked to the larger economy, he says. Ahlin was surprised to find that as the larger economy grew, the microbanks profit margins grew as well, nearly one-for-one. For example, if the economic growth rate increased 5 percent, a typical microbanks profit margin went up by 5 percentage points. The finding of this study is not that context is everything, but that it does help explain significant differences in performance of the microbanks, Ahlin explains. Microbanks generally grow more successfully in countries with less of a manufacturing base, such as Nigeria and Mongolia, as opposed to more industrialized nations such as China and Indonesia. Ahlin says this is likely because manufacturing jobs tend to crowd out the more entrepreneurial-related jobs supported by microloans. The researchers also say that better developed governing institutions can impact microfinance business negatively by driving up costs, for example, suggesting that borrowers may benefit from a hands-off regulatory approach. Finally, microfinance institutions generally cover costs more easily in countries with a per-capita income of about $6,000-countries that are not too poor, but not too rich either, Ahlin says. In extremely poor countries, he says, there may be a lack of education to run a microenterprise and little demand for goods beyond basic food and medicine. But that doesnt mean lenders should steer clear of the most impoverished nations, Ahlin points out. On the contrary: The research findings could help support the case for more sustained donor support of microfinance in those areas. Although covering costs internally may be harder, Ahlin says, the impact could be greater in these poorer countries. Communication in the Cold War Introduction Cold war was a period between 1945 and 1991 involving the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was over the military might, often characterized by the struggle between capitalism and communism. Communication played a vital role in cold war, mostly in the use of various means to convey propaganda (Crowley Heyer, 2002; Jenks, 2006). The historical account of the mass media influence on the population has a very negative background. As pictured by Taylor (1997), the blind are leading the blind à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ sleaze and sophistry have triumphed over sophistication and subtlety and biased presentation of foreign news has resulted in serious distortion and misunderstanding (pp.1). The application of technology in global communications played a fundamental role especially during cold war. As indicated by Taylor (1997), the cold war created an environment that prompted new rules à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in which the control, manipulation and dissemination of information à ¢Ã ¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (pp.28) became very essential. The United States was committed to freedom of information in their transaction with other nations in an attempt to win their support. With time technological advances from radios, through the television to faxes, satellites and e-mails changed the initial perceptions (Taylor, 1997). Communication during the cold wars Before the United States involvement in the Second World War in 1940, the ARRL established an Emergency Corps that trained on frequencies not initially used by casual amateurs. Up to this day military radio system has involved the training of personnels and continued tests. The cold war reached its greatest heights in 1952. During this period, Radio Amateur Society was formed under the effort of the Civil Defense. This development and many others were as a result of the recognition of the essence of disaster and emergency communication. In the cold war period, transistors and integrated circuits were also invented. It also saw the improvement of frequencies from the lowest to microwaves (Farnham, 2005). By 1945 the debate was still ragging on whether the United States should continue with its broadcasting via the Voice of America (VOA) after the end of the Second World War. It was viewed by many as a weapon of war hence could not be part of foreign policy. The government was however hesitant in abolishing the VOA. On the other hand, the Soviet Union continued with their intention of extending their coverage to most parts of Eastern Europe. Their enmity with the United States prompted the continuation of VOA expansion to integrate the Russian language in 1947. This was out of the United States optimisms that radio would be successful in penetrating the communication barriers experienced during the World War II. By 1949, the Americans were under extreme fear over the infiltration of communists in the United States. That year saw the enactment of the Central Intelligence Agency Act by the Congress. Besides, the establishment of the CIA, this act enabled the setting of a new radio servi ce as a project for public diplomacy. National Committee for a Free Europe organization was also established to address the plight of exiles from Eastern Europe. Funded by the CIA, this organization established Radio Free Europe (REFE) in 1950, beginning its broadcast in July of the same year from Germany. Another radio targeting the Soviet Union (Radio Liberty or RL) was created by a similar organization of exiles. Since it was also broadcasting from Germany, the RL signal faced constant jamming by Soviet leaders from its inception. Jamming was a technology used by the Soviet Union to interfere with the radio transmission (Parsons, n.d). Computing in the Cold War It is commonly believed that war influences the rate of technological development. This is probably true in the arena of computing. Many earlier machines such as the ENIAC and the Mark I for instance were invented for military calculations. It is however believed that the cold war promoted the greatest advances in computing (I-Programmer, 2010). The computer was very important in for gathering and processing information about the enemys whereabouts. An example is the SAGE (Semi Automatic Ground Equipment) computer system used by the United States to track any movement in the sky, to send signals of any nuclear attack. In 1940s, the Whirlwind computer, the fastest model available was built at MIT. Although not understood by many, Whirlwind computer was an important tool for flight simulations. In 1945 the Air Defense Committee was formed. It recommended the need for integrating the radar system in the newly invented computers. The radar was important in detecting airborne objects and the computer monitored and verified the objects to ensure that they familiar (I-Programmer, 2010). This was an important step since both computer and the radar system were new technologies which whose impact were unimaginable in the first place. It was quite ambitious to think of the interconnection of a radar network stations and central computer data processing in the absence of a modem. Mass storage devices, graphical visual display unit and computers were still made of valves. In 1951g, the Project Lincoln research was initiated to develop the new system with the supply of computer hardware (Whirlwind I) and data communications from the Air Force Research Laboratory (CRL) (I-Programmer, 2010). Cold War Propaganda In the early period of the cold war, the British government established a voluntary civil defense with the objective of protecting the nation from the enemy in case of attack. The civil propaganda was successful in mobilizing many people to participate in the war (Jenks, 2006).During the cold war both the United States and the Soviet Union were involved in propaganda. In the period of the Red Scare, characterized by mass hysteria over communism, the United States government perpetuated this hysteria in movies, comics, books and even lessons in schools. It was mostly focused against communism reign. The use of propaganda had negative impact on the population. Both the America and the USSR used propaganda to instill hatred of their enemies in their citizens and also to ensure that the citizens would fully support the government. The two countries used different media for conveying their propaganda. The Soviet Union used military prowess to impress their citizens while America relied on Hollywood and the media. The result of the propaganda was the victimization of many employees in the government and Hollywood. For this reason many innocent people were caught in between the wrangles and suffered ruined lives as a consequence (Kerrington, 2007). The electronic medium commonly in use that time was the black and white television. Although quite costly, many could still afford one. The use of television opened a fresh page in the propaganda war. It was used to dispel fear that the Soviet Union was on the wrong side. It promoted the idea that white Americans were superior over the other races and there could easily be victorious over the Soviet Union (Hudson Stainer, 1997; Kerrington, 2007). Another form of the media in America in that period was the radio. While not everybody could afford the television, everybody at least had a radio. It was a symbol of family union since most members of the family could gather around it at dinner session to listen to news briefings or their favorite programs. It was quite valued and people took extra care to maintain it. It was the best way to reach the vast population. The united p states government took the initiative to perfect the broadcasts. The government invested largely in the Voice of America which enabling broadcast to reach the Philippines, Germany and Japan. Movie theaters were flocked by people of all ages as relief from the worries of life (Hudson Stainer, 1997; Kerrington, 2007). The propaganda reached its greatest height especially in the wake of Senator McCarthys leadership. Films were used to convey the idea that the Soviet Union was going to win unless the patriotic Americans determined to wipe out communism. It would portray the importance of upholding the traditional values advocating for goodness over evil in the attempt of defeating the enemy. Some movies focused on highlighting the negative side of communism. Such movies received a lot of financial support from the government. Examples include the Red Nightmare, nowadays referred to as The Commies Are Coming, and the Invasion USA! presently these types of movies lack the impact they had during the cold war, they are even taken as comedies in most occasions. Initially, they drew a lot of seriousness and they were even integrated in the curriculum of civics and history in schools. Some such as the James Bond movies are presently still enjoyed (Kerrington, 2007). People could also be exposed to propaganda through literature. Several fiction novels, the paperback novels, and comics were used to propagate anti-Soviet or communism ideologies. They were readily available due to their low cost. These novels depicted the heroic actions of the cowboys in their rescue missions. On the other hand, the non-fictional books were also extremely biased negatively depicting the threat posed by communism. The comics, focusing mainly on the young generation were aimed at inculcating hatred for the communists. Communists were also not allowed to express their idea freely; they were prevented from teaching in colleges and at secondary level. As a result many people lost their jobs because of such stance (Kerrington, 2007). Soviets were not exempted from propaganda. They also had radios, literature and films. Their form of propaganda involved the demonstration of e military might by constantly holding military marches. These were used to remind the public that their army was the most invincible. Stalin propagated his against the Americans via the radio, always insisting that communists should uphold their togetherness. The Americans were painted as racists, sexists, treacherous and indifferent to others. In Stalins perspective the Americans were ignorant, and America faced probable defeat. Unlike the American methods, Stalins methods of propaganda were more direct. They were also equally successful (Kerrington, 2007). Conclusion Communication played greatly defined the cold war. Various means of communication such as the televisions and radios were used by both parties of the conflict to marshal civilian support against their enemies. As portrayed above this period was marked by the distortion of foreign reporting, issuance of threats, and accusations which were only made possible via the mass media.

History of Physical therapy advancement Essay

History of physical therapy from past to present it continues to be an expansive area in medical field. Historically, during 460 BC primitive physical therapy techniques were employed and applied in diagnosing, treatment and management of the patients. The traditional primitive techniques applied involved massage and hydrotherapy in treating patients, which was advocated by physicians like hector and Hippocrates (Basmajian, 2000). It is therefore, from this primitive interventional approach in treating individuals with physical injuries that today techniques developed. America in 1924 witnessed a new dawn by formation of Physical Therapy Association organized by Mary MacMillan that today is popularly known as APTA (America Physical Therapy Association). This body (APTA) is vital organ in physical therapy related issues and development. In these historical periods, the commonly practiced areas of intervention to patients were in exercise, traction and message. The practice environment for therapists was only based on in – patient, but today has extended to out-patient accounting to over 63 percent (Basmajian, 2000, p. 10). However, with time therapists moved to out-patent orthopedic clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers and genetriatic settings as opposed to hospital settings. This marked new beginning in expansion of the physical therapy area of operation and services diversity. According to ABPT (American Board of physical therapy), lists several fields that falls under physical therapy, but emphasize on six major ones that are universally accepted worldwide. These areas are: orthopedic that therapists diagnose marriage and treat injuries and disorders involving the musculoskeletal systems and rehabilitation after surgery practiced especially in outpatients. Secondly, cardiopulmonary therapies that treats and manages patients after surgery or patients without undergoing surgery in cardiopulmonary disorders (Worthingham, 2002). Thirdly, neurological therapies focus on treating and managing after diagnosing patients affected with neurological disorders. Fourthly, pediatric therapies aim at early detection of health problems and treat disorders. Fifth, geriatric therapies focuses on the treatment and management of health issues related to aging old age like osteoporosis cancer and Alzheimer’s diseases. And lastly, the therapies of integument focus on the treatment of the conditions that involves or relate to skin health problems like would treatment. However, the areas of concern for physical therapists are not limited to the mentioned six but do extend to other relevant emerging special fields like clinical electrophysiology and sports injuries (Worthingham, 2002) Advancements in physical therapy A part for tradition practices in the field of physical therapy; the past decades there have been various developments that have facilitated change. For instance, in defined physical therapy as treatment by use of exercises and massaging to keep muscles stretched. I have no objection with this definition as it was appropriate and served the purpose at time, in fact to help to come up with a better definition. As effect with need for expansion and growing, needs to be accommodating in physical therapy, (Wyke, 2008), come up with physical therapy as diagnosis, treatment of disorders and injuries through physical means. This new devised therapy practices, but it also indicate the expanded view and perception and description of physical therapy in today’s world. Thus, the latest advancement in physical therapy was optimal treatment outcome to the patients by adaptation of psychological approach. The approach visualize optimal treatment outcome as a function of both clinical professional factors associated with therapist and the psychological factors associated with the patient. In order to achieve this, various advancements has been achieved geared towards making patient health care efficient. Introduction of sports, recreation and manipulation The introduction and use of sports, recreation and manipulation is one of the advancement witnessed in physical therapy that has really improved patient care. For instance, the cases of shoulder impingement syndrome are managed with a multimodal approach. Such patients no wards undergo a multimodal protocol intervention hat encompasses photospheres, rotator cuff and shoulder girdle muscle exercises, diversified manipulation and soft tissue, and finally return to normal daily sporting activities and work. The resultant outcome reports mo re than 68% effectiveness at the end of treatment protocol with follow-up of 4 to 12 weeks (Worthingham 239). In sum total, the use of soft tissue techniques like frictional and ischemic compression electrons electro modalities-technique like ultrasound, rehabilitation by are of exercises and manipulation is proved to be useful in improving outcome of the patient care, since it is more interactive and centralize patient centered care. Advancement interventions In diagnosis and treatment of muscular-skeletal systems like weakness pain and altered joint properties there has been major advancement in the area of approach. One of the main advancements reached include active assistance of joint range of motion, active assistance of soft tissue morality, passive joint range of motion, functioning multi – plane self graded strengthens, kinematic chain biomechanics and lastly PNF (Proprioceptive Neuro-motor Re-education) (Wyke, 2008) these aspects have been designed to achieve patient friendliness, encouragement of positive carry over between treatments in home based programs, improved patients ability to reduce pain by themselves by use of current end ranges of motions and lastly restoration of correct neuro-motor biochemical (Moore, 2007, p. 51) through use of AAROM (Active Assisted Range of Motions) The results to patient out some proves to be more than 73% effective with follow up of about 5 – 13 weeks. Whereas in neurology such therapies like constraint – induced movement therapy CCI) proves to be efficient in restoring functions in the upper extremities of patients with stroke. A dvanced administration and management Physical the rapists in order to deliver best patient care, they need to utilize knowledge and skill in administration or business management to be guiding framework for their work. Historically, administration has evolved since the 1999 LAMP document guiding on physical therapists administration. LAMP (leadership administration and management preparation) documented by APTA’s (Moore, 2007) can no longer be efficient to function in this era of technology and paradigm shift in administration skills. The basic six areas contained in the document include: examinations evaluations, intervention, diagnosis, prognosis and outcome needed to be integrated with business and technological domains in order to advance the field of physical therapy (Basmajian, 2000). For instance, many practioners find it necessary to use management software to standardize practice and facilitate outcome comparison. One such useful gad gets is the PTCMR (physical therapy computerized medical record). This system gather all the incoming information about the patients treatment and evaluation additionally, the system is for clinical research with incorporation of DCDC (Duke cardiovascular database) and ARAMIS (American Rheumatism Association of medical information database) that gives PTCMR with vital information through networks for research. Such aspects of standard physical therapy measures of important like pain, range of motion and strength are also inclusive in the system (effectiveness of the system refer to table 1). The system proves efficient by resultant of about 32% reduction of pain in patient with TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) which was tested. Additionally, there noted decreased ambulation as a result of management enhanced by PTCMR system (Moore, 2007).

The Relationship between Kinetic Energy of a dropped object impacting water and height of its resulting wave

Energy growth is directly linked to well-being and prosperity across the globe. Meeting the growing demand for energy in a safe and environmentally responsible manner is a key challenge. Modern energy enriches life. There are seven billion people on earth who use energy each day to make their lives richer, more productive, safer and healthier. It is perhaps the biggest driver of energy demand: the human desire to sustain and improve the well-being of ourselves, our families and our communities. Energy is the ability to do work, the ability to exert a force on an object to move it. The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. The same amount of work is done by the body in decelerating from its current speed to a state of rest. The word â€Å"kinetic† comes from the Greek word â€Å"kinesis,† which means â€Å"motion. That’s why kinetic energy is the energy of an object that is moving. You cannot exactly destroy kinetic energy, but you can stop it by simply putting an end to any motion or force being exerted on an object. Water is the common name applied to the liquid form of the hydrogen and oxygen compound H2O. Pure water is an odorless, tasteless, clear liquid. Water is one of nature's most import ant gifts to mankind. Essential to life, a person's survival depends on drinking water. Water is one of the most essential elements to good health. It is necessary for the digestion and absorption of food; helps maintain proper muscle tone; supplies oxygen and nutrients to the cells; rids the body of wastes; and serves as a natural air conditioning system. Health officials emphasize the importance of drinking at least eight glasses of clean water each and every day to maintain good health. Since water contains no calories and can serve as an appetite suppressant and helps the body metabolize stored fat, it may possibly be one of the most significant factors in losing weight. In his book, titled â€Å"The Snowbird Diet† Dr. Donald Robertson says the body will not function properly without enough water and discusses the importance of drinking plenty of water for permanent weight loss: â€Å"Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention; the overweight person needs more water than the thin one; water helps to maintain proper muscle tone; water can help relieve constipation; drinking water is essential to weight loss. † Water is only substance that occurs the ordinary temperatures in all three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. As a solid, ice, it forms glaciers, frozen lakes and rivers, snow, hail, and frost. It is liquid as rain and dew, and it covers three-quarters of the earth’s surface in swamps, lakes, rivers, and oceans. Water also occurs in the soil and beneath the earth’s surface as a vast groundwater basin. In physics, a wave is a disturbance or oscillation that travels through space time, accompanied by a transfer of energy. Wave motion transfers energy from one point to another, often with no permanent displacement of the particles of the medium that is, with little or no associated mass transport. They consist, instead, of oscillations or vibrations around almost fixed locations. Waves are described by a wave equation which sets out how the disturbance proceeds over time. The mathematical form of this equation varies depending on the type of wave. The term wave is often intuitively understood as referring to a transport of spatial disturbances that are generally not accompanied by a motion of the medium occupying this space as a whole. In a wave, the energy of a vibration is moving away from the source in the form of a disturbance within the surrounding medium. However, this notion is problematic for a standing wave (for example, a wave on a string), where energy is moving in both directions equally, or for electromagnetic (e. g. light) waves in a vacuum, where the concept of medium does not apply and interaction with a target is the key to wave detection and practical applications. There are water waves on the ocean surface; gamma waves and light waves emitted by the Sun; microwaves used in microwave ovens and in radar equipment; radio waves broadcast by radio stations; and sound waves generated by radio receivers, telephone handsets and living creatures, to mention only a few wave phenomena. Statement of the Problem General Objectives †¢ To figure out the relationship of kinetic energy of a dropped object and its height. Specific Objectives †¢ To identify the height of the water when you dropped an object into it. †¢ To identify if the Kinetic Energy is Zero will help the impact of height to its resulting wave. †¢ To determine how the waves in the ocean appears. Hypothesis †¢ Will it give you the accurate height of the wave? †¢ Will the kinetic energy help so that we can get the height of the wave? What are the elements present when the wave occurs? Significance/Importance Waves are important to the surfers, fisherman, seaman and other people who deals with that wave in the oceans. They use waves for them to be able to perform this sport. Without waves, the concept of being a surfer would be totally meaningless. To surfers, they are able to use ocean waves in a very special way. In the part of the seaman and Fisherman, they may not work or m ake a living when the weather is bad. This kind of work is really hard wherein it is dangerous for their part to sail in the Ocean as they leave their families. That is why we have come up with this study that will help those people who are engage with that kind of work and for them to be able to know how when to sail or not so that they may not risk their own lives. We hope that after this study, they are already informing of how†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Methodology Materials †¢ Tupperware container †¢ food dye †¢ a small ball †¢ String a permanent marker †¢ Paper †¢ ceiling hook †¢ water Procedure The procedure goes on by filling the container up to 5. 8 cm of water. Add food dye on the water. Cut strips of paper, mark each paper. Place the 3 strips of paper around the container with the mark meeting the water, secure papers by folding over edge, mark at 2, 5 and every 2. 5 after up to 50 cm hang string from hook so that it barely touches water. Then the drop ball from first drop height and allow resulting waves to subside. After dropping the ball observe and examine the paper. Measure the change of the wave height. Repeat 3 times for each height. Conclusion We, therefore conclude that the energy of a wave related to the kinetic energy of the ball as long as the material and confines of the wave allowed. Recommendation We recommend our study to the surfers and fisherman that made use of waves who has played a big role in their lives. They may use our study so that they may know many more about the things they deal with in their works.

John Jacob Astor - Biography of Richest American

John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest man in America in the early 19th century, and when he died in 1848 his fortune was estimated to be at least $20 million, an astounding sum for the time. Astor had arrived in America as a poor German immigrant, and his determination and business sense led him to eventually create a monopoly in the fur trade. He diversified into real estate in New York City, and his fortune increased as the city grew. Early Life John Jacob Astor was born on July 17, 1763 in the village of Waldorf, in Germany. His father was a butcher, and as a boy John Jacob would accompany him to jobs butchering cattle. While a teenager, Astor earned enough money at various jobs in Germany to enable him to relocate to London, where an older brother was living. He spent three years in England, learning the language and picking up any information he could about his ultimate destination, the North American colonies which were rebelling against Britain. In 1783, after the Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War, Astor decided to sail to the young nation of the United States. Astor left England in November 1783, having bought musical instruments, seven flutes, which he intended to sell in America. His ship reached the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in January 1784, but the ship became stuck in ice and it would be two months before it was safe for the passengers to land. Chance Encounter Led to Learning About the Fur Trade While languishing aboard ship, Astor met a fellow passenger who had traded for furs with the Indians in North America. Legend has it that Astor quizzed the man extensively on the details of fur trading, and by the time he set foot on American soil Astor had resolved to enter the fur business. John Jacob Astor eventually reached New York City, where another brother was living, in March 1784. By some accounts, he did enter the fur trade almost immediately and soon returned to London to sell a shipment of furs. By 1786 Astor had opened a small shop on Water Street in lower Manhattan, and throughout the 1790s he kept expanding his fur business. He was soon exporting furs to London and to China, which was emerging as a huge market for the pelts of American beavers. By 1800 it was estimated that Astor had amassed nearly a quarter of a million dollars, a considerable fortune for the time. Astors Business Continued to Grow After the Lewis and Clark Expedition returned from the Northwest in 1806 Astor realized he could expand into the vast territories of the Louisiana Purchase. And, it should be noted, the official reason for Lewis and Clarks voyage was to help the American fur trade expand. In 1808 Astor combined a number of his business interests into the American Fur Company. Astors company, with trading posts throughout the Midwest and Northwest, would monopolize the fur business for decades, at a time when beaver hats were considered the height of fashion in America and Europe. In 1811 Astor financed an expedition to the coast of Oregon, where his employees founded Fort Astoria, an outpost at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was the first permanent American settlement on the Pacific Coast, but it was destined to fail due to various hardships and the War of 1812. Fort Astoria eventually passed into British hands. While the war doomed Fort Astoria, Astor made money in the final year of the war by helping the United States government finance its operations. Later critics, including the legendary editor Horace Greeley, accused him of having profiteered in war bonds. Astor Accumulated Vast Real Estate Holdings In the first decade of the 19th century Astor had realized that New York City would continue to grow, and he began buying up real estate in Manhattan. He amassed vast property holdings in New York and the surrounding area. Astor would eventually be called the citys landlord. Having grown tired of the fur trade, and realizing it was too vulnerable to changes in fashion, Astor sold all his interests in the fur business in June 1834. He then concentrated on real estate, while also dabbling in philanthropy. Legacy of John Jacob Astor John Jacob Astor died, at the age of 84, in his house in New York City on March 29, 1848. He was by far the richest man in America. It was estimated that Astor had a fortune of at least $20 million, and he is generally considered the first American multimillionaire. Most of his fortune was left to his son William Backhouse Astor, who continued to administer the family business and philanthropic endeavors. John Jacob Astors will also included a bequest for a public library. The Astor Library was for many years an institution in New York City, and its collection became the foundation for the New York Public Library. A number of American towns were named for John Jacob Astor, including Astoria, Oregon, the site of Fort Astoria. New Yorkers know the Astor Place subway stop in lower Manhattan, and there is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens called Astoria. Perhaps the most famous instance of the Astor name is the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. John Jacob Astors grandsons, who were feuding in the 1890s, opened two lavish hotels in New York City, the Astoria, named for the family, and the Waldorf, named for John Jacob Astors native village in Germany. The hotels, which were located at the present site of the Empire State Building, were later combined into the Waldorf-Astoria. The name lives on with the current Waldorf-Astoria on Park Avenue in New York City. Gratitude is expressed to the New York Public Library Digital Collections for the illustration of John Jacob Astor.