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A Savage Empire: Trappers, Traders, Tribes, and the Wars That Made America
A surprising and sweeping history that reveals the fur trade to be the driving force behind conquest, colonization, and revolution in early America
Combining the epic saga of Hampton Sides's Blood and Thunder with the natural history of Mark Kurlansky's Cod , popular historian Alan Axelrod reveals the astonishingly vital role a small animal―the beaver―played in the creation of our nation. The author masterfully relays a story often neglected by conventional how lust for fur trade riches moved monarchs and men to launch expeditions of discovery, finance massive corporate enterprises, and wage war. Deftly weaving cultural and military narratives, the author chronicles how Spanish, Dutch, French, English, and Native American tribes created and betrayed alliances based on trapping and trade disputes, producing a surprisingly complex series of loyalties that endured throughout the Revolution and beyond.
Combining the epic saga of Hampton Sides's Blood and Thunder with the natural history of Mark Kurlansky's Cod , popular historian Alan Axelrod reveals the astonishingly vital role a small animal―the beaver―played in the creation of our nation. The author masterfully relays a story often neglected by conventional how lust for fur trade riches moved monarchs and men to launch expeditions of discovery, finance massive corporate enterprises, and wage war. Deftly weaving cultural and military narratives, the author chronicles how Spanish, Dutch, French, English, and Native American tribes created and betrayed alliances based on trapping and trade disputes, producing a surprisingly complex series of loyalties that endured throughout the Revolution and beyond.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published December 6, 2011
About the author
Alan Axelrod
177 books54 followersAlan Axelrod, Ph.D., is a prolific author of history, business and management books. As of October 2018, he had written more than 150 books, as noted in an online introduction by Lynn Ware Peek before an interview with Axelrod on the National Public Radio station KPCW. Axelrod resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 31, 2018
Phenomenally well researched but tediously written, reading “A savage empire” was an exercise in my own patience at times.
It seemed at points that Axelrod was writing a history of the French and Indian war rather than that of fur trading. I plodded through interminable descriptions of raids and counter raids, massacres, and broken agreements.
His conclusion, that the opportunity for peaceful co-existence, a “middle way” of Anglo Indian relations died during the American Revolution spares his readers from yet more descriptions of raids, counter raids, massacres and broken agreements (that characterized the march to the west).
A well researched, well formulated price that is undone a bit by staid, date-centric academic writing. “Fur, fortune, and empire” is far more readable.
It seemed at points that Axelrod was writing a history of the French and Indian war rather than that of fur trading. I plodded through interminable descriptions of raids and counter raids, massacres, and broken agreements.
His conclusion, that the opportunity for peaceful co-existence, a “middle way” of Anglo Indian relations died during the American Revolution spares his readers from yet more descriptions of raids, counter raids, massacres and broken agreements (that characterized the march to the west).
A well researched, well formulated price that is undone a bit by staid, date-centric academic writing. “Fur, fortune, and empire” is far more readable.
November 22, 2012
Good book, but could probably use maps to make it easier to follow.
July 12, 2020
As I read this book, one thing stands out. People love to call the Americans horrible for their treatment of Native Americans. (And in the 1800s that is true). However, it was in the 1500s during the start of the big push of the Fur Trade era when the Europeans, and the Dutch were ruthless. Decapitating 80 Indians and using the heads as footballs in the streets. The massacre of prisoners, starting with the ripping of babies and children from the arms of parents and then brutally murdering them in front of the parents before then killing of them, as well. This became known as the Slaughter of the Innocent.
Axelrod writes clean, easy prose. However, I feel each chapter could easily have been expanded into its own book of non-fiction. All of the French names, and dates, and details is overwhelming.
The Iroquois interest me, as I am born and raised in New York. I enjoy learning about the 5 Nations of this group of Native Americans. They played a huge role in the Fur Trade.
The Dutch tried to make slaughters look like other nations attacked the Indians. They fooled no one.
The Mohawks, loyal to the European invaders were a violent branch of the Iroquois, spurned on by the Europeans.
I am loving every sentence.
Phillip Tomasso
Axelrod writes clean, easy prose. However, I feel each chapter could easily have been expanded into its own book of non-fiction. All of the French names, and dates, and details is overwhelming.
The Iroquois interest me, as I am born and raised in New York. I enjoy learning about the 5 Nations of this group of Native Americans. They played a huge role in the Fur Trade.
The Dutch tried to make slaughters look like other nations attacked the Indians. They fooled no one.
The Mohawks, loyal to the European invaders were a violent branch of the Iroquois, spurned on by the Europeans.
I am loving every sentence.
Phillip Tomasso
November 13, 2020
Error filled. Claimed the Huron were Algonquian. Furthermore stated Cartier met with Haudenosaunee member tribes, completely ignorant of the st.lawrence Iroquois and the Iroquois language group in general. Let historians write history.
May 3, 2024
Was very interested in the topic but this was a slog. Too much detail and not enough interpretation.
December 15, 2016
Excellent history of the beginning of shaping the country we know as America.
December 15, 2011
“A Savage Empire” by Alan Axelrod, published by Thomas Dunne Books.
Category – History
This book deserves two ratings. The first rating would be three stars, but only if you are a true history buff and are interested in this period of history. The second rating would be one star. The one star rating is due to the fact that this is a history book and reads like a history book. It is full of details, names, dates, and facts that most readers would have no interest in knowing.
However, if you are a true student of history there is an immense amount of data that can be both interesting and enlightening.
The premise of the book is based on the need for beaver pelts in the European, especially Great Britain, market, and how this need fostered and flamed wars not only in Europe but in the New World.
Obviously, the main combatants are the French and the British, but one must not forget the settlers who would soon be part of the American Revolution.
An interesting part of the book is the attempt by both combatants to woe the favor of the Indians and how they were coerced and used by both parties.
A young George Washington makes an appearance and learns the art of war that will becomes valuable later on when he becomes General Washington. He will use what he has learned in the American Revolution. Some of the things that would stand out were; be careful of those pledging loyalty (especially the Indians because they were in it for the wampum), to throw out the European way of war (the New World was best suited for guerilla warfare), and trust your instincts and the people you have gathered around you.
A good read but definitely one for the historian.
Category – History
This book deserves two ratings. The first rating would be three stars, but only if you are a true history buff and are interested in this period of history. The second rating would be one star. The one star rating is due to the fact that this is a history book and reads like a history book. It is full of details, names, dates, and facts that most readers would have no interest in knowing.
However, if you are a true student of history there is an immense amount of data that can be both interesting and enlightening.
The premise of the book is based on the need for beaver pelts in the European, especially Great Britain, market, and how this need fostered and flamed wars not only in Europe but in the New World.
Obviously, the main combatants are the French and the British, but one must not forget the settlers who would soon be part of the American Revolution.
An interesting part of the book is the attempt by both combatants to woe the favor of the Indians and how they were coerced and used by both parties.
A young George Washington makes an appearance and learns the art of war that will becomes valuable later on when he becomes General Washington. He will use what he has learned in the American Revolution. Some of the things that would stand out were; be careful of those pledging loyalty (especially the Indians because they were in it for the wampum), to throw out the European way of war (the New World was best suited for guerilla warfare), and trust your instincts and the people you have gathered around you.
A good read but definitely one for the historian.
November 23, 2012
Well written, concise coverage of the interaction between Europeans and Native Americans from initial contact through the beginning of the mountain man era. Axelrod was fair and defended his arguments well. The book reinforces in my mind again just how unfortunate the Native Americans were that the French lost their American empire to the English.
December 18, 2011
Interesting recounting of the geopolitical and military forces that influenced the exploration of North Ameria and the tensions and interactions between Europeans and Native Americans, but I had hoped for more background and information on the fur trade.
August 11, 2016
History of the fronter of America and the Indian Wars. This is a huge swath of history and this just jumps around to different areas, not very focused.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews