Andrew Carnegie By Rebecca Good

Early Life• Carnegie was from Dunfermline, Scotland

(a center of the growing linen industry) • Born to William and Margaret on November 25, 1835

• The Carnegie family grew up in poverty because with the opening of factories in their region of Scotland, his father’s work as a linen weaver was no longer necessary

• He experienced first hand the life of the lower class when he realized his father was unable to find work and he saw his family struggling financially

Early Business• Andrew moved to America into Allegheny, Pennsylvania in

1848, working for $1.20/hour as a bobbin boy and taking a job as a messenger

• Andrew was eventually introduced to the Railroad business and investment opportunities when he was hired as a personal secretary to Thomas A. Scott

• This brought him close to industrial advancements, giving him the chance to become the superintendent of the railroad company

• He then devoted himself to the Keystone Bridge Company, relying on his persistence and willingness to learn to push him ahead in business

Big Business• His main success was in the steel business

*making use of the Bessemer process *providing steel for building railroads

• Carnegie’s steel business prospered in the Pittsburgh area• He helped make the U.S the world’s greatest steel exporter• Main strategies for successful business: *overall fair treatment of workers to prevent strikes *uncorrupt deals *vertical integration- controlling all parts of the process from beginning to end to eliminate the middle man • By 1900 the Carnegie Company was valued at about $400

million dollars, an enormous sum of money for this rags to riches man

His Philanthropy • In 1901 Carnegie sold the company to J.P Morgan for $480

million dollars• He had wanted to become a philanthropist even before he

was a millionaire, so this gave him the chance• Carnegie believed in the Gospel of Wealth, so he wanted to

give as much of his money away to better the community• His fortune helped establish more than 2,000 public

libraries • He funded many universities and programs to teach those

who otherwise would not have been given this opportunity• At the end of his life he had given away over $350 million

dollars, leaving an impression on the poor and setting an example for the wealthy

His Wishes Fulfilled

“I began to learn what poverty meant. It was burnt into my heart then that my father had to beg for work. And then and there came the resolve that I would cure that when I got to

be a man.”

“I shall argue that strong men, conversely, know when to compromise and that all principles can be compromised to

serve a greater principle.”

“Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community.”

-Andrew Carnegie

Cartoon Analysis• His distinctive hat, socks, and kilt

represent Carnegie’s origins in Scotland.

• The American flag print represents his move to America and the “American Dream” he was able to experience

• It mentions free education in Scotland on the document, showing his wishes for education opportunities in Scotland (like his wish for education in the U.S)

• He is pouring money into graduation caps, showing Andrew’s funding of libraries and colleges

• The vertical falling of the donations can be representative of his use of vertical integration

Works Cited• “Andrew Carnegie.” American Experience. Web. 3 February

2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carnegie/people events/pande01.html>

• Hall, Jan. “Andrew Carnegie.” American Business. Web. 3 February 2012. <http://american-business.org/2373-andrew-carnegie.html>

• “Our Founder.” Carnegie Corporation of New York. Web. 3 February 2012. <http://carnegie.org/about-us/foundation-history/about-andrew-carnegie>

• “’The MacMillion.’” Explore PA History. Web. 3 February 2012. <http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?i mgId=1-2-CFF>