Andrew Carnegie, Entrepreneur and Businessman
“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” This quote by Albert Camus represents the core of Andrew Carnegie. Though he is often identified as the greatest entrepreneur of the 20th century and one of the most ruthless businessmen in history, Andrew Carnegie was also blessed with a generous heart, which is most revealed by the fact that he gave away almost 90% of his wealth. Like everything though, Carnegie had to begin somewhere. That somewhere was Scotland. Born on November 25, 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland to William and Margret Carnegie, Andrew’s childhood began as a simple one. His father was a weaver in Dunerfermline and, although successful, his earnings allowed his family to live a basic but comfortable life. William hoped to pass down his trade to Andrew when he came to age, so he began to expand his business in anticipation of the additional labor, but this dream was not to be.
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The power loom was brought to Dunfermline, shortly following Andrew’s birth, and William lost all of his business to the identical machine produced products that were cheaper and more readily available. Because he was only skilled in a single craft, William could no longer find work to put food on the table. Andrew always remembered this one flaw in his father and set out to make sure he did not plummet to the same fate, living by the motto that “those unable to control their fortunes can be set adrift in the
Andrew Carnegie grew up in Dunfermline, Scotland and immigrated along with his family to the United States in the late 1800s. He worked his way up from being a poor Irish immigrant to become one of the most famous industrialists that helped transform the U.S steel industry in the late 19th century. Andrew Carnegie was a hero in many ways. One reason why Andrew Carnegie was a hero was because of his influences on renovating the American steel industry which helped create the U.S a world power. Secondly, Andrew Carnegie was a hero is because he helped create jobs that employed many Americans. Finally, Carnegie was a hero is because he was one of the most influential philanthropists.
His parents were Irish-Presbyterians who had left Ulster 2 years before his birth. His father, Andrew Sr., died in an accident while clearing fields 2 days before Andrew Jr. was born. At only 13 years of age, he joined the patriot army to fight the British. After the war, he studied law in Salisbury, North Carolina. According to the textbook, “His grit earned him the admiration of his ranks, ‘He’s tough as hickory,” they would say, and so he was.” As president, he was not an innovator, however, he was often called the “people’s
Perhaps the most controversial of Andrew Carnegie’s qualities is his belief in Social Darwinism. The English philosopher Herbert Spencer convinced Carnegie that it wasn’t bad to be successful. It was “survival of the fittest” in the business world and there was no reason for Andrew Carnegie to feel guilty for obtaining more wealth. Throughout Carnegie’s life, he displayed his firm belief in the certainty of competition. In fact, he was afraid of competition and did all he could to obstruct or completely remove it when it came to his
Andrew Jackson was born in a backwoods settlement in the Carolinas in 1776. His parents, Scotch-Irish folk, came to America two years before his birth. His mother was widowed while pregnant with him. At age 13, Andrew joined a regiment. He and his brother were both captured and imprisoned together by the British. Their mother got them released, but his brother died on the long trip home. During his independent days, he lived in a tavern with other students. He gained a reputation for charisma, and wildness and hooliganism (Morris, Introduction).
Andrew Carnegie was one of the wealthiest men in America but his wealth didn’t come without hard work and dedication. Carnegie was born in “Dunfermline, Scotland on November 25, 1835” (Tyle). According to Laura B. Tyle, the invention of the weaving machine unfortunately pushed Carnegie’s family in to poverty “In 1848, Carnegie’s family left Scotland and moved to Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, where his father and eventually him worked in a cotton factory” (Tyle). After leaving the cotton factory “Carnegie became a messenger boy for the Pittsburgh telegraph office and eventually made his way up to telegraph operator” (Tyle). According to Laura B. Tyle “Thomas A. Scott, the superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, made Carnegie his secretary at the age of eighteen.” Later, Carnegie took over Scott’s position of the railroad. Furthermore Carnegie “began to see that steel was going to replace iron and by 1873 he organized a steel rail company” (Tyle). According to Laura B. Tyle he continued to build his company when he “cut prices, drove out competitors,
As young as 33, Carnegie was pulling in an annual income of $50,000 a year, a huge amount at that time, and this was enough for him. Carnegie was a firm believer that anyone could make it to the top, and that it was the wealthys’ duty to help the poor work towards a more comfortable life. Carnegie said that “the man who dies rich, dies disgraced.” This is a greedy, unselfish philosophy that a robber baron could not conceive.
Andrew Carnegie was born into poverty in Scotland and immigrated to the United States with his family for the prospect of a better life. Although, in the United States, his family still struggled to make ends meet until Carnegie was offered a job at a cotton mill as a bobbin boy, changing spools of thread for 12 hours a day, six days a week for $1.20 per week. He became the primary breadwinner of his family at the age of 12. After years of working
Andrew Carnegie was born on November 25, 1835, in Dunfermline, Scotland a town that sustained itself with its linen weaving industry. Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the "Age of Steel", for example, "From his companies emerged the steel to build the infrastructure (railroads, bridges, automobiles, ships ...) that would build a nation. He was a major catalyst in the transformation into the
Andrew Wyeth was born July 12, 1917 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of five children. Andrew was a sickly child and so his mother and father made the decision to pull him out of school after he contracted whooping cough. He received schooling in all subjects including art education.
Andrew Carnegie Essay written by aliciareagan@neo.tamu.edu A man of Scotland, a distinguished citizen of the United States, and a philanthropist devoted to the betterment of the world around him, Andrew Carnegie became famous at the turn of the twentieth century and became a real life rags to riches story. Born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on November 25, 1835, Andrew Carnegie entered the world in poverty. The son of a hand weaver, Carnegie received his only formal education during the short time between his birth and his move to the United States. When steam machinery for weaving came into use, Carnegie's father sold his looms and household goods, sailing to America with his wife and two sons. At this time, Andrew was twelve, and his
Andrew Carnegie was a firm believer in idea of individualism. That everyman must work and rise on his own ambition alone, that each man for themselves. In other word, he did not believe in the communist thought of working
Carnegie is looking out for the best interests of the rest and his admirable goals are clearly seen from this quote. He puts power in the hands of those who can make a difference with the excess amounts of money given by wealthy men. If inheritances were instead used during life to help the community instead of
Andrew Carnegie was a man who started from nothing and built his way up to find his fortunes in world of steel and factories and after retiring set himself to a life of philanthropy donating his fortunes to the people. This isn’t to say he was an entirely good person however, as his time as a business owner and as an employer. Whether he was a captain of industry or a robber baron is up to your opinions, but I believe he was a true captain of industry.
He was raised by his mother in which was a widower. She raised him on a settlement near the North and South Carolina border. He had a large family of Irish immigrant farmers. His mother wanted him to become a minister but he went in a completely different direction at a young age. Young Andrew began to cuss, fight, and even pull pranks on different people in the town.
Andrew Carnegie was born on November 25th, 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland. His father was a hand loom weaver and Chartist. Carnegie believed in the importance of birthplace. “I was supremely so in