Question

Which most effectively explains John Jacob Astor’s motivation in establishing Fort Astoria in present-day Astoria, Oregon?

Answer 1

It was geographical; a fort on the Pacific Ocean enabled fur trading with Asia

Answer 2

John Jacob Astor's motivation in establishing Fort Astoria was mainly strategical, as the fort represented American presence in the Oregon Territory, disputed between the United States and Great Britain.

Step-by-step explanation:

Fort Astoria was the name of Pacific Fur Company's main fur trading post in northwestern America and the first American settlement in the Pacific coast. After a short period of possession by the United States, the British occupied it and operated it for 33 years. It was the first British post on the Pacific coast. Fort Astoria control was an important factor in the issue of sovereignty and territorial disputes between the British and the United States over the Oregon Country.