Competitive Struggle recounts the 101-year history of Americas western fur trade: from the founding of St. Louis in 1764 through 1865, the demand for beaver pelts and buffalo robes spawned a competitive fervor that enveloped mountain men, fur trading companies, national governments, and Native Americans.The book includes a series of easy-to-read flowcharts showing the evolution of the various fur companies. Extensive endnotes, an index, a glossary of terms, and a list of modern-day trading post replicas and their photographs make Competitive Struggle a musthave reference on America s fur trade.