S8 Ep658: 1. Leila Philip discusses how John Jacob Astor built America's first multi-million dollar fortune through the beaver fur trade. The lucrative pelt market jumpstarted North American capitalism, influencing national seals and early economies. Philip highlig
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor
4.5 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 29 March 2026
⏱️ 12 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
1. Leila Philip discusses how John Jacob Astor built America's first multi-million dollar fortune through the beaver fur trade. The lucrative pelt market jumpstarted North Americancapitalism, influencing national seals and early economies. Philip highlights how beavers literally shaped the continent’s foundations before being nearly trapped out. (1)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Indeed presents. |
| 0:01.9 | Hires, you can't afford to get wrong. Like payroll manager. Hi, I was just checking my pay slip and it's all in Japanese yen. Yes, you're welcome. Sorry? Given the exchange rate between the pound and the yen, you're technically a millionaire now. Don't spend it all in one place. I can't really spend it anywhere. This is a job for sponsored jobs. This is what happens when you don't sponsor your job on Indeed. |
| 0:21.5 | So the next time you need someone to get the job done right, |
| 0:23.8 | get matched with quality candidates with an Indeed sponsored job. |
| 0:26.8 | Visit Indeed.com slash Nexthire and sponsor your job today. |
| 0:35.0 | This is CBS Eye on the World. |
| 0:38.3 | Here's John Batchelor. |
| 0:40.5 | I go to 1783, bound for Baltimore from Europe. |
| 0:46.1 | On board, a young man who's a butcher's assistant. |
| 0:49.3 | His name is Johann Astor. |
| 0:52.2 | He is bound for his relatives and his friends in New York City via Baltimore. |
| 0:57.9 | However, he is also the first millionaire, multi-millionaire in the North American continent. |
| 1:05.3 | And how he makes his money is the subject of a brand new book that I recommend to everyone. |
| 1:11.7 | It's a joy. |
| 1:13.8 | Beaverland, how one weird rodent made America. |
| 1:17.4 | Leila Philip is the author. |
| 1:19.8 | The professor is a professor of English Department and Environmental Studies program at the College of the Holy Cross. |
| 1:26.9 | We go now to Johann Jacob Astor. Environmental Studies Program at the College of the Holy Cross. |
| 1:27.5 | We go now to Johann Jacob Astor overhearing a conversation on deck. |
| 1:34.3 | Professor, a very good evening to you. |
| 1:36.5 | Thank you very much. |
| 1:37.5 | Congratulations. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from John Batchelor, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of John Batchelor and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

