In this episode we will explore the background of John Jacob Astor. His vision for a global trading empire resulted in the American Fur Company, the Pacific Fur Company, and the founding of Astoria, OR. His dream might have worked if not for an explosion of his ship, the Tonquin, in Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island, and the War of 1812.

In this episode we look at the Louisiana Purchase, and Thomas Jefferson's determination to make the United States a country that stretched from sea to shining sea. We meet Lewis and Clark and spend a bit of time examining the life and times of John Colter.

This episode is the first of a multi-episode exploration of the fur trade in North America, and covers the period from the first French trappers and traders in the first capital of the fur trade in Montreal, to the establishment of St. Louis as the heir apparent.

When we hear the term “cowboy” our minds instantly see the mythical ideal character. For much of the world the cowboy represents at least one of the iconic images of America. Honesty, strength, courage, rugged good looks, loyalty, wisdom, each represents how we view thecowboy. But how many of these attributes are hyperbole and how many are fact? Let's take a closer look at the evolution of the cowboy.