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Andrew Carnegie

Born November 25, 1835 (1835-11-25)
Dunfermline, Scotland
Died August 11, 1919 (aged 83)
Lenox, Massachusetts, United States
Occupation Businessman and Philanthropist
Net worth ▲$298. Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Dunfermline (Scottish Gaelic Dùn Phàrlain is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 2005 business leaders - Events of 2006 - 2007 business leaders - Business leaders by year Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material 3 billion in 2007 dollars, according to Wealthy historical figures 2008, based on information from Forbes - February 2008. The list of the most wealthy historical figures of 2008 is based on research done around the world by Forbes magazine in 2007 and other sources of information and has been Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly
Spouse Louise Whitfield
Children Margaret Carnegie Miller
Signature

Andrew Carnegie (properly pronounced /kɑrˈneɪgi/, but commonly /ˈkɑrnɨgi/ or /kɑrˈnɛgi/)[1] (November 25, 1835 – August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-born American industrialist, businessman, and a major philanthropist. Louise Whitfield Carnegie ( March 7, 1857 - June 24, 1946) was the wife of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Margaret Carnegie Miller ( March 30 1897 &ndash April 11 1990) was the only child of Industrialist and Philanthropist Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a mogul, tycoon, baron, or industrialist, is a person who has reached a prominent place in 2005 business leaders - Events of 2006 - 2007 business leaders - Business leaders by year Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material He was an immigrant as a child with his parents. He built Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company, which was later merged with Elbert H. Gary's Federal Steel Company and several smaller companies to create U.S. Steel. Carnegie Steel Company was a steel producing company created by Andrew Carnegie to manage business at his Steel mills in the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Elbert Henry Gary ( October 8, 1846 – August 15, 1927) was an American lawyer and corporate officer The United States Steel Corporation ( is an integrated Steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe With the fortune he made from business, he turned to philanthropy and interests in education, founding the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a nonprofit organization in the United States. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a formally private nonprofit organization in practice closely associated with the United States Department of State, Carnegie Mellon University (also known as CMU) is a private Research University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United

While Carnegie paid his employees the low wages typical of the time, he later gave away most of his money to fund the establishment of many libraries, schools, and universities in America, United Kingdom and other countries, as well as a pension fund for former employees. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located He is often regarded as the second richest man in history. This list of the richest people ever or the most wealthy historical figures is essentially the list of the richest people in the history of mankind since the dawn of civilization (from Carnegie started as a telegrapher and by the 1860s had investments in railroads, railroad sleeping cars, bridges and oil derricks. He built further wealth as a bond salesman raising money for American enterprise in Europe.

Steel was where he made his fortune. In the 1870s, he founded the Carnegie Steel Company, a step which cemented his name as one of the “Captains of Industry”. By the 1890s, the company was the largest and most profitable industrial enterprise in the world. Carnegie sold it to J.P. Morgan in 1901, who created US Steel. John Pierpont Morgan ( April 17, 1837 &ndash March 31, 1913) was an American financier banker and art collector who The United States Steel Corporation ( is an integrated Steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe Carnegie devoted the remainder of his life to large-scale philanthropy, with special emphasis on local libraries, world peace, and education and scientific research.

Contents

Career

Early career

1850–1860: A 'self made man'

Andrew (right), aged 16, with brother Thomas
Andrew (right), aged 16, with brother Thomas

Carnegie's education and passion for reading was given a great boost by Colonel James Anderson, who opened his personal library of 400 volumes to working boys each Saturday night. James Anderson may refer to;Arts James K Anderson, American actor James Anderson (actor, British actor James Anderson Carnegie was a consistent borrower and a "self-made man" in both his economic development and his intellectual and cultural development. His capacity and willingness for hard work, his perseverance, and his alertness soon brought forth opportunities.

The son of a weaver, Carnegie immigrated as a child with his family from Scotland to the United States in 1848 and settled in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. His first job at age 13 in 1848 was as a bobbin boy, changing spools of thread in a cotton mill twelve hours a day, six days a week. His wages were $1. 20 per week, plus another 80 cents for firing the furnace. In 1851, Carnegie became a telegraph messenger boy in the Pittsburgh Office of the Ohio Telegraph Company, at $2. 20 per week. In addition to providing him with an increase in income, the job also provided him with a lifelong love of William Shakespeare's works. William Shakespeare ( baptised He was frequently required to deliver messages to a theater, and often managed to arrive just as the curtain had been raised on a performance. Using a charm that was to pay even greater dividends in the future, Carnegie was usually able to convince the theater's manager to allow him to stay and watch the performance for free.

Carnegie quickly taught himself to distinguish the differing sounds the incoming signals produced and learned to transcribe signals by ear, without having to write them down. Thomas A. Scott of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company employed him as a secretary/telegraph operator starting in 1853, at a salary of $4. Thomas Alexander Scott ( December 28 1823 – May 21, 1881) was the president of what was the largest corporation in the world the Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Railroad, founded in 1846 00 per week. At age eighteen, Carnegie began a rapid advancement through the company, becoming the superintendent of the Pittsburgh Division. Scott also helped him with his first investments. In 1855 Carnegie invested $600 in a successful firm called Adams Express. The Adams Express Company is an American investment trust that traces its roots to a 19th century freight and cargo transport company Later he invested money in sleeping cars for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and bought part of the company making the wagons. This turned out to be a very profitable investment. Reinvesting his money in railroad-related industries: (iron, bridges, and rails), Carnegie slowly accumulated capital, the basis for his later success. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 A bridge is a Structure built to span a Gorge, Valley, Road, railroad track, River, Body of water

1860–1865: Civil War

Before the Civil War, Carnegie had formed a partnership with a Mr. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Woodruff, an inventor of a sleeping car for first-class travel. The sleeping car or sleeper is a railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another primarily for the purpose of making The sleeping car facilitated business travel at distances over 500 miles (800 km). The investment proved a great success and a source of profit for Woodruff and Carnegie. The young Carnegie became the superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Western Division, and introduced several improvements in the service.

In spring 1861 Carnegie was appointed by Scott, who was now Assistant Secretary of War in charge of military transportation, as Superintendent of the Military Railways and the Union Government's telegraph lines in the East. Carnegie helped open the rail lines into Washington that the rebels had cut; he rode the locomotive pulling the first brigade of Union troops to reach Washington. Following the defeat of Union forces at Bull Run, he personally supervised the transportation of the defeated forces. Background Brig Gen Irvin McDowell was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to command the Army of Northeastern Virginia. Under his organization, the telegraph service rendered efficient service to the Union cause and significantly assisted in the eventual victory. Carnegie later boasted he was "the first casualty of the war" when he gained a scar on his cheek from working with telegraph wire.

Defeat of the Confederacy required vast supplies of munitions, as well as railroads (and telegraph lines) to deliver the goods. Ammunition, often referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which The war demonstrated how integral the industries were to American success.

In 1864, Carnegie invested $40,000 in Storey Farm on Oil Creek in Venango County, Pennsylvania. Venango County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. In one year, the farm yielded over $1,000,000 in cash dividends, and petroleum from oil wells on the property sold profitably. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit West Texas PumpjackJPG|thumb|right|300px|This Pumpjack located south of Midland TX is a common sight in West Texas. The demand for iron products, such as armor for gunboats, cannon, and shells, as well as a hundred other industrial products, made Pittsburgh a center of wartime production. | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural Carnegie worked with others in establishing a steel rolling mill and steel production and control of industry became the source of his fortune. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 A rolling mill is a Machine or Factory for shaping Metal by passing it between a pair of Work rolls. Carnegie had some investments in the iron industry before the war.

After the war, Carnegie left the railroads to devote all his energies to the ironworks trade. Carnegie worked to develop several iron works, eventually forming The Keystone Bridge Works and the Union Ironworks, in Pittsburgh. Although he had left the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, he did not totally sever his links with the railroads. As the Keystone Bridge Company's superintendent, Carnegie had noticed the weakness of the traditional wooden structures. These were replaced in large numbers with iron bridges made in his works. As well as having good business sense, Carnegie possessed charm and literary knowledge. He was invited to many important social functions—functions that Carnegie exploited to his own advantage.

Carnegie, circa 1878
Carnegie, circa 1878

Carnegie believed in using his fortune for others and doing more than making money. He wrote;

“ I propose to take an income no greater than $50,000 per annum! Beyond this I need ever earn, make no effort to increase my fortune, but spend the surplus each year for benevolent purposes! Let us cast aside business forever, except for others. Let us settle in Oxford and I shall get a thorough education, making the acquaintance of literary men. I figure that this will take three years active work. I shall pay especial attention to speaking in public. We can settle in London and I can purchase a controlling interest in some newspaper or live review and give the general management of it attention, taking part in public matters, especially those connected with education and improvement of the poorer classes. Man must have an idol and the amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry! No idol is more debasing than the worship of money! Whatever I engage in I must push inordinately; therefore should I be careful to choose that life which will be the most elevating in its character. Idolatry is usually defined as Worship of any Cult image, Idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. This article refers to the religious act For the album by Michael W Money is anything that is generally accepted as Payment for Goods and services and repayment of Debts. To continue much longer overwhelmed by business cares and with most of my thoughts wholly upon the way to make more money in the shortest time, must degrade me beyond hope of permanent recovery. I will resign business at thirty-five, but during these ensuing two years I wish to spend the afternoons in receiving instruction and in reading systematically! ”

1880–1900: Scholar and Activist

Carnegie continued his business career; some of his literary intentions were fulfilled. He befriended English poet Matthew Arnold and English philosopher Herbert Spencer as well as being in correspondence and acquaintance with most of the U.S. Presidents, statesmen, and notable writers. Matthew Arnold (24 December 1822 &ndash 15 April 1888 was an English Poet, and Cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools Herbert Spencer ( April 27, 1820 – December 8, 1903) was an English Philosopher; prominent classical liberal The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Carnegie greatly admired Spencer. However Spencer's Social Darwinism held philanthropy as unwise. Social Darwinism is a theory that competition among all individuals groups nations or ideas drives Social evolution in human societies Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material

Carnegie erected commodious swimming-baths for the people of his hometown in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1879. In the following year, Carnegie gave $40,000 for the establishment of a free library in Dunfermline. In 1884, he gave $50,000 to Bellevue Hospital Medical College (now part of New York University Medical Center) to found a histological laboratory, now called the Carnegie Laboratory. The New York University School of Medicine is one of the Graduate schools of New York University. Histology (from the Greek = 'tissue' is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of Plants and

In 1881, Carnegie took his family, including his mother at age 70, on a trip to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located They toured Scotland by coach, and enjoyed several receptions en-route. The highlight for them all was a triumphal return to his native town of Dunfermline, where Carnegie's mother laid the foundation stone of a Carnegie Library for which he donated the money. Carnegie's criticism of British society did not mean dislike; on the contrary, one of Carnegie's ambitions was to act as a catalyst for a close association between the English-speaking peoples. Catalysis is the process in which the rate of a Chemical reaction is increased by means of a Chemical substance known as a catalyst To this end, in the early 1880s, he purchased numerous newspapers in England, all of which were to advocate the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of "the British Republic". A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Carnegie's charm aided by his great wealth meant that he had many British friends, including Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation.

In 1886, Andrew Carnegie's younger brother Thomas died at age 43. Success in the business continued, however. While owning steel works, Carnegie had purchased at low cost the most valuable of the iron ore fields around Lake Superior. Iron ores are rocks and Minerals from which Metallic Iron can be economically extracted Lake Superior is the largest of the five Great Lakes of North America. The same year Carnegie became a figure of controversy. Following his tour of the UK, he wrote about his experiences in a book entitled An American Four-in-hand in Britain. Although still actively involved in running his many businesses, Carnegie had become a regular contributor to numerous magazines, most notably the Nineteenth Century, under the editorship of James Knowles, and the influential North American Review, led by editor Lloyd Bryce. James Knowles may refer to James Knowles (architect, an English architect and editor James Knowles a Ku Klux Klan member responsible for the lynching Userpolbot from http//bioguidecongressgov/scripts/biodisplaypl?index=B000998

In 1886 Carnegie wrote his most radical work to date, entitled Triumphant Democracy. Liberal in its use of statistics to make its arguments, the book argued his view that the American republican system of government was superior to the British monarchical system. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or It gave a highly favorable and idealized view of American progress and criticized the British royal family. The cover depicted an upended royal crown and a broken scepter. The book created considerable controversy in the UK. The book made many Americans appreciate their country's economic progress and sold over 40,000 copies, mostly in the U. S.

In 1889, Carnegie published "Wealth" in the June issue of the North American Review. After reading it, Gladstone requested its publication in England, where it appeared as "The Gospel of Wealth" in the Pall Mall Gazette. The Pall Mall Gazette was an evening newspaper founded in London on February 7 1865. The article was the subject of much discussion. Carnegie argued that the life of a wealthy industrialist should comprise two parts. The first part was the gathering and the accumulation of wealth. The second part was for the subsequent distribution of this wealth to benevolent causes. The philanthropy was key to making the life worthwhile.

In 1898, Carnegie tried to arrange for independence for the Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP As the end of the Spanish American War neared, the United States bought the Philippines from Spain for $20 million USD. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been To counter what he perceived as imperialism on the part of the United States, Carnegie personally offered $20 million USD to the Philippines so that the Filipino people could buy their independence from the United States. Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. [2] However, nothing came of this gesture and the Philippine-American War ensued.

Industrialist

1885–1900: Empire of Steel

Carnegie made his fortune in the steel industry, controlling the most extensive integrated iron and steel operations ever owned by an individual in the United States. One of his two great innovations was in the cheap and efficient mass production of steel rails for railroad lines. The second was in his vertical integration of all suppliers of raw materials. In the late 1880s, Carnegie Steel was the largest manufacturer of pig iron, steel rails, and coke in the world, with a capacity to produce approximately 2,000 tons of pig metal per day. Pig iron is the intermediate product of Smelting Iron ore with coke, usually with Limestone as a flux Coke is a solid Carbonaceous material derived from Destructive distillation of low-ash low-sulfur Bituminous coal. Pig iron is the intermediate product of Smelting Iron ore with coke, usually with Limestone as a flux In 1888, Carnegie bought the rival Homestead Steel Works, which included an extensive plant served by tributary coal and iron fields, a 425-mile (685 km) long railway, and a line of lake steamships. Homestead Steel Works, located in Homestead Pennsylvania, was a rival of the steel company Carnegie Steel, founded by Andrew Carnegie (an immigrant of Lake freighters, or Lakers, are Cargo vessels that ply the Great Lakes. Carnegie combined his assets and those of his associates in 1892 with the launching of the Carnegie Steel Company. Carnegie Steel Company was a steel producing company created by Andrew Carnegie to manage business at his Steel mills in the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

By 1889, the U.S. output of steel exceeded that of the UK, and Carnegie owned a large part of it. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Carnegie's empire grew to include the J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works, (named for John Edgar Thomson, Carnegie's former boss and president of the Pennsylvania Railroad), Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Works, the Lucy Furnaces, the Union Iron Mills, the Union Mill (Wilson, Walker & County), the Keystone Bridge Works, the Hartman Steel Works, the Frick Coke Company, and the Scotia ore mines. The Edgar Thomson Steel Works is a Steel mill in North Braddock Pennsylvania. John Edgar Thomson ( February 10 1808 – May 27 1874) was an American Civil engineer, railroad executive and Industrialist Carnegie, through Keystone, supplied the steel for and owned shares in the landmark Eads Bridge project across the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri (completed 1874). The Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to This project was an important proof-of-concept for steel technology, which marked the opening of a new steel market.

1901: U. S. Steel

In 1901, Carnegie was 66 years old and considering retirement. He reformed his enterprises into conventional joint stock corporations as preparation to this end. John Pierpont Morgan was a banker and perhaps America's most important financial deal maker. John Pierpont Morgan ( April 17, 1837 &ndash March 31, 1913) was an American financier banker and art collector who He had observed how efficiently Carnegie produced profit. He envisioned an integrated steel industry that would cut costs, lower prices to consumers and raise wages to workers. To this end, he needed to buy out Carnegie and several other major producers and integrate them into one company, thereby eliminating duplication and waste. He concluded negotiations on March 2, 1901, and formed the United States Steel Corporation. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The United States Steel Corporation ( is an integrated Steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe It was the first corporation in the world with a market capitalization in excess of $1 billion.

The buyout, which was negotiated in secret by Charles M. Schwab (no relation to Charles R. Schwab, the brokerage house founder), was the largest such industrial takeover in United States history to date. For the founder and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation brokerage firm see Charles R Charles Robert Schwab Jr (born July 29, 1937) is the founder and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation. The holdings were incorporated in the United States Steel Corporation, a trust organized by Morgan, and Carnegie retired from business. His steel enterprises were bought out at a figure equivalent to twelve times their annual earnings—$480 million (approximately $120 billion in 2007 dollars)[1]—which at the time was the largest ever personal commercial transaction.

Carnegie's share of this amounted to $225,639,000, which was paid to Carnegie in the form of 5%, 50-year gold bonds. The letter agreeing to sell his share was signed on February 26, 1901. Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting On March 2, the circular formally filing the organization and capitalization (at $1,400,000,000—4% of U. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good S. national wealth at the time) of the United States Steel Corporation actually completed the contract. The bonds were to be delivered within two weeks to the Hudson Trust Company of Hoboken, New Jersey, in trust to Robert A. Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Franks, Carnegie's business secretary. There, a special vault was built to house the physical bulk of nearly $230,000,000 worth of bonds. It was said that ". . . . Carnegie never wanted to see or touch these bonds that represented the fruition of his business career. It was as if he feared that if he looked upon them they might vanish like the gossamer gold of the leprechaun. Let them lie safe in a vault in New Jersey, safe from the New York tax assessors, until he was ready to dispose of them. . . . "

As they signed the papers of sale, Carnegie remarked, "Well, Pierpont, I am now handing the burden over to you. " In return, Carnegie became one of the world's wealthiest men.

Retirement

1901–1915: Philanthropist

Carnegie, right, with James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce
Carnegie, right, with James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce
A Carnegie library, Macomb, Illinois
A Carnegie library, Macomb, Illinois

Carnegie spent his last years as a philanthropist. James Bryce 1st Viscount Bryce, OM, GCVO, FRS, PC, FBA ( May 10, 1838 &ndash January 22, 1922 Macomb is a city located in McDonough County Illinois founded in 1831 Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material From 1901 forward, public attention was turned from the shrewd business acumen which had enabled Carnegie to accumulate such a fortune, to the public-spirited way in which he devoted himself to utilizing it on philanthropic projects. He had written about his views on social subjects and the responsibilities of great wealth in Triumphant Democracy (1886) and Gospel of Wealth (1889). "Wealth", or what is more commonly known as "The Gospel of Wealth", is an essay written by Andrew Carnegie in 1889 that described Carnegie bought Skibo Castle, in Sutherland, Scotland, and made his home partly there and partly in New York. Skibo Castle is located to the west of Dornoch in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. He then devoted his life to providing the capital for purposes of public interest and social and educational advancement.

He was a powerful supporter of the movement for spelling reform as a means of promoting the spread of the English language. Many languages have undergone spelling reform, where a deliberate often officially sanctioned or mandated change to spelling takes place English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

Among his many philanthropic efforts, the establishment of public libraries throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and other English-speaking countries was especially prominent. A public library (also called circulating library) is a Library which is accessible by the Public and is generally funded from public sources (such Carnegie libraries, as they were commonly called, were built everywhere. For other uses see Carnegie Library (disambiguation, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Free Library and Carnegie Public Library The first was opened in 1883 in Dunfermline, Scotland. His method was to build and equip, but only on condition that the local authority matched that by providing a site and operating maintenance. To secure local interest, in 1885, he gave $500,000 to Pittsburgh for a public library, and in 1886, he gave $250,000 to Allegheny City for a music hall and library; and $250,000 to Edinburgh, Scotland, for a free library. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. In total Carnegie funded some 3,000 libraries, located in 47 states. Carnegie also built libraries in Canada and overseas in the United Kingdom including the Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, and Fiji. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य He also donated £50,000 to help set up the University of Birmingham in 1899. The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a British red brick University located in the city of Birmingham [3]

As VanSlyck (1991) showed, the last years of the 19th century saw acceptance of the idea that free libraries should be available to the American public. But the design of the idealized free library was the subject of prolonged and heated debate. On one hand, the library profession called for designs that supported efficiency in administration and operation; on the other, wealthy philanthropists favored buildings that reinforced the paternalistic metaphor and enhanced civic pride. Between 1886 and 1917, Carnegie reformed both library philanthropy and library design, encouraging a closer correspondence between the two.

The Broome County Public Library in New York opened in October 1904. Originally called the Binghamton Public Library, it was created with a gift of $75,000 from Andrew Carnegie. The building was designed to serve as both a public library and a community center.

He gave $2 million in 1901 to start the Carnegie Institute of Technology (CIT) at Pittsburgh, and the same amount in 1902 to found the Carnegie Institution at Washington, D. This article is about a center of higher learning For the foundation which supports scientific research refer to the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The Carnegie Institution for Science (also called the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW) is a organization in the United States established to support Scientific C. He later contributed more to these and other schools. CIT is now part of Carnegie Mellon University. Carnegie Mellon University (also known as CMU) is a private Research University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United Carnegie served on the Board of Cornell University.

In Scotland, he gave $2 million in 1901 to establish a trust to assist education at Scottish universities, which resulted in his being elected Lord Rector of University of St. Andrews. The word rector ("ruler" from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin has a number of different meanings but all of them indicate an academic The University of St Andrews is the oldest University in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking world, having been founded between He also donated large sums of money to Dunfermline, the place of his birth. In addition to a library, Carnegie also bought what is known as Pittencrief Park and opened it to all members of the public. It had previously been closed to the public. A statue of him stands there to this day. Carnegie was a large benefactor of the Tuskegee Institute under Booker Washington for African-American education. Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5 1856 &ndash November 14 1915 was an American educator orator author and leader of the African-American community African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa He helped Booker T. Washington create the National Negro Business League. Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5 1856 &ndash November 14 1915 was an American educator orator author and leader of the African-American community The National Negro Business League was an American organization founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1900 by Booker T

Carnegie also established large pension funds in 1901 for his former employees at Homestead and, in 1905, for American college professors. The latter fund evolved into TIAA-CREF. TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund is one of the largest Financial services companies in the United States with $420 One critical requirement was that church-related schools had to sever their religious connections to get his money.

His interest in music led him to fund construction of 7,000 church organs. He built and owned Carnegie Hall in New York City. Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east The City of New York

He founded the Carnegie Hero Fund for the United States and Canada in 1904 (a few years later also established in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Germany) for the recognition of deeds of heroism. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, also known as Carnegie Hero Fund, was established to recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of Heroism in Civilian Carnegie contributed $1,500,000 in 1903 for the erection of the Peace Palace at The Hague; and he donated $150,000 for a Pan-American Palace in Washington as a home for the International Bureau of American Republics. The Peace Palace ("Vredespaleis" in Dutch) situated in The Hague, Netherlands, is often called the seat of International law

Carnegie was honored for his philanthropy and support of the arts by initiation as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity on October 14, 1917 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Phi Mu Alpha (ΦΜΑ Sinfonia is a collegiate social fraternity for men with an interest in music The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The fraternity's mission reflects Carnegie's values by developing young men to share their talents to create harmony in the world.

By the standards of 19th century tycoons, Carnegie was not a particularly ruthless man, but the contrast between his life and the lives of many of his own workers and of the poor, in general, was stark. "Maybe with the giving away of his money," commented biographer Joseph Wall, "he would justify what he had done to get that money. Joseph Frazier Wall ( July 10 1920, Des Moines Iowa - October 9 1995) was an American Historian and professor of history " [2]

By the time he died, Carnegie had given away $350,695,653 (approximately $4. 3 billion, adjusted to 2005 figures). At his death, his last $30,000,000 was likewise given away to foundations, charities, and to pensioners.

Controversies

1889: Johnstown Flood

Carnegie was one of more than 60 wealthy members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, which was blamed for the Johnstown Flood that killed more than 2,200 people in 1889. The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club was a club composed of more than fifty extremely wealthy men who operated an exclusive and secretive retreat at a mountain lake near South Fork The Johnstown Flood disaster (or Great Flood of 1889 as it became known locally occurred on May 31, 1889.

At the suggestion of his friend Benjamin Ruff, Carnegie's partner Henry Clay Frick had formed the exclusive South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club high above Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Henry Clay Frick ( December 19 1849 &ndash December 2 1919) was an American industrialist and art patron once The charter members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club were: Benjamin Ruff; T. H. Sweat; Charles J. Clarke; Thomas Clark; Walter F. Fundenberg; Howard Hartley; Henry C. Yeager; J. B. White; Henry Clay Frick; E. A. Myers; C. C. Hussey; D. R. Ewer; C. A. Carpenter; W. L. Dunn; W. L. McClintock; and A. V. Holmes.

The sixty-odd club members were the leading business tycoons of Western Pennsylvania and included among their number Frick’s best friend, Andrew Mellon, his attorneys Philander Knox and James Hay Reed, as well as Frick's business partner Andrew Carnegie. Andrew William Mellon ( March 24 1855 &mdash August 27 1937) was an American banker industrialist philanthropist art collector Philander Chase Knox ( May 6, 1853 &ndash October 12, 1921) was an American Lawyer and Politician who served The Club members created what then me the world's largest earthen dam behind which formed a private lake called Lake Conemaugh. Less than 20 miles downstream from the dam sat the city of Johnstown, and Carnegie Steel's chief competitor (from whom Carnegie had hired away steelmaking expert Bill Jones), the Cambria Iron and Steel Company, which boasted the world's largest annual steel production.

Poor maintenance, unusually high snowmelt and heavy spring rains combined to cause the dam to give way on May 31, 1889 resulting in the Johnstown Flood. The Johnstown Flood disaster (or Great Flood of 1889 as it became known locally occurred on May 31, 1889. When word of the dam's failure was telegraphed to Pittsburgh, Frick and other members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club gathered to form the Pittsburgh Relief Committee for assistance to the flood victims as well as determining never to speak publicly about the club or the flood. This strategy was a success, and Knox and Reed were able to fend off all lawsuits that would have placed blame upon the club’s members.

Although Cambria Iron and Steel's facilities were heavily damaged by the flood, they returned to full production within a year and a half. By that time, Carnegie's steel production had outstripped Cambria's. After the flood, Carnegie built Johnstown a new library to replace the one built for the city by Cambria's chief legal counsel Cyrus Elder. That library was swept away in the flood. The Carnegie-donated library is now owned by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association and is used to house the Flood Museum.

1892: Homestead Strike

The Homestead Strike
The Homestead Strike

The Homestead Strike was a bloody labor confrontation lasting 143 days in 1892, one of the most serious in U. The Homestead Strike was a labor lockout and strike which began on June 30, 1892, culminating in a battle between strikers and private security agents S. history. The conflict was centered around Carnegie Steel's main plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania, and grew out of a dispute between the National Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers of the United States and the Carnegie Steel Company. Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA in the "Mon Valley" seven miles (11 km southeast of downtown Pittsburgh

Carnegie left for a trip to his Scottish homeland before the unrest peaked. In doing so, Carnegie left mediation of the dispute in the hands of his associate and partner Henry Clay Frick. Henry Clay Frick ( December 19 1849 &ndash December 2 1919) was an American industrialist and art patron once Frick was well known in industrial circles for maintaining staunch anti-union sensibilities.

The company had attempted to cut the wages of the skilled steel workers. When the workers refused the pay cut, management locked the union out. Workers considered the stoppage a "lockout" by management and not a "strike" by workers. A lockout is a Work stoppage in which an Employer prevents employees from working Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by Employees to perform work. As such, the workers would have been well within their rights to protest, and subsequent government action would have been a set of criminal procedures designed to crush what was seen as a pivotal demonstration of the growing labor rights movement, strongly opposed by management. Frick brought in thousands of strikebreakers to work the steel mills and Pinkerton agents to safeguard them. "We Never Sleep" the famous motto of the Pinkerton Agency redirects here

On July 6, the arrival of a force of 300 Pinkerton agents from New York City and Chicago resulted in a fight in which 10 men—seven strikers and three Pinkertons—were killed and hundreds were injured. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Pennsylvania Governor Robert Pattison ordered two brigades of state militia to the strike site. Robert Emory Pattison ( 8 December 1850 - 1 August 1904) was governor of Pennsylvania from 1883 to 1887 and 1891 to 1895 Then, allegedly in response to the fight between the striking workers and the Pinkertons, anarchist Alexander Berkman shot at Frick in an attempted assassination. Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Alexander Berkman ( November 21 1870 – June 28 1936) was a Russian American writer and a leading member of the anarchist He only wounded Frick. While not directly connected to the strike, Berkman was tied in for the assassination attempt. Afterwards, the company successfully resumed operations with non-union immigrant employees in place of the Homestead plant workers, and Carnegie returned to the United States. However, Carnegie's reputation was permanently damaged by the Homestead events.

Philosophy

On Wealth

Carnegie at Skibo Castle, 1914
Carnegie at Skibo Castle, 1914

Carnegie wrote "The Gospel of Wealth", an article in which he stated his belief that the rich should use their wealth to help enrich society. "Wealth", or what is more commonly known as "The Gospel of Wealth", is an essay written by Andrew Carnegie in 1889 that described

The following is taken from one of Carnegie's memos to himself:

“ Man does not live by bread alone. I have known millionaires starving for lack of the nutriment which alone can sustain all that is human in man, and I know workmen, and many so-called poor men, who revel in luxuries beyond the power of those millionaires to reach. It is the mind that makes the body rich. There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else. Money can only be the useful drudge of things immeasurably higher than itself. Exalted beyond this, as it sometimes is, it remains Caliban still and still plays the beast. My aspirations take a higher flight. Mine be it to have contributed to the enlightenment and the joys of the mind, to the things of the spirit, to all that tends to bring into the lives of the toilers of Pittsburgh sweetness and light. I hold this the noblest possible use of wealth. ”

In 1908, he commissioned (at no pay) Napoleon Hill, then a journalist, to interview more than 500 wealthy achievers to find out the common threads of their success. Napoleon Hill ( October 26 1883 &ndash November 8 1970) was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern Hill eventually became a Carnegie collaborator. Their work was published in 1928 after Carnegie's death in Hill's book The Law of Success (ISBN 0-87980-447-5) and in 1937, Think and Grow Rich (ISBN 1-59330-200-2). Napoleon Hill ( October 26 1883 &ndash November 8 1970) was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern Think and Grow Rich! is a motivational book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion by American billionaire Andrew Carnegie. The latter has not been out of print since it was first published and has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. In 1960, Hill published an abridged version of the book containing the Andrew Carnegie formula for wealth creation. For years it was the only version generally available. In 2004, Ross Cornwell published Think and Grow Rich!: The Original Version, Restored and Revised (Second Printing 2007), which restored the book to its original content, with slight revisions, and added comprehensive endnotes, an index, and an appendix.

Religion and World View

Witnessing the sectarianism and strife in 19th century Scotland regarding religion and philosophy, Carnegie kept his distance from organized religion and theism. [4] Carnegie instead preferred to see things through naturalistic and scientific terms stating, "Not only had I got rid of the theology and the supernatural, but I had found the truth of evolution. " [5]

Carnegie eventually came to identify himself as a positivist. Positivism is the Philosophy that the only authentic knowledge is knowledge that is based on actual sense experience He held much hope for humanity in what may be termed a humanistic view on life, shaped also by the Scottish values with which he was raised. After the outbreak of the First World War and its slaughter, Carnegie underwent a crisis of ideology in his positivist views. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Writings

Carnegie was a frequent contributor to periodicals on labour issues.

In addition to Triumphant Democracy (1886), The Gospel of Wealth (1889) and The Law of Success (1928), other publications by him were An American Four-in-hand in Britain (1883), Round the World (1884), The Empire of Business (1902), a Life of James Watt (1905) and Problems of To-day (1907). "Wealth", or what is more commonly known as "The Gospel of Wealth", is an essay written by Andrew Carnegie in 1889 that described Napoleon Hill ( October 26 1883 &ndash November 8 1970) was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern

Legacy and honours

Stain Glass dedicated to Andrew Carnegie in the National Cathedral
Stain Glass dedicated to Andrew Carnegie in the National Cathedral

See also

Notes

  1. ^ dictionary. This list of the richest people ever or the most wealthy historical figures is essentially the list of the richest people in the history of mankind since the dawn of civilization (from The American Anti-Imperialist League was established in the United States on June 15, 1898 to battle the American annexation of the Philippines For other uses see Carnegie Library (disambiguation, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Free Library and Carnegie Public Library The Carnegie Institution for Science (also called the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW) is a organization in the United States established to support Scientific Robber baron is a term revived in the 19th century in the United States as a pejorative reference to businessmen and bankers who dominated their respective industries Many colleges and universities are named after people. Namesakes include the founder of the institution financial Benefactors revered religious leaders notable historical Napoleon Hill ( October 26 1883 &ndash November 8 1970) was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern Think and Grow Rich! is a motivational book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion by American billionaire Andrew Carnegie. "Wealth", or what is more commonly known as "The Gospel of Wealth", is an essay written by Andrew Carnegie in 1889 that described com
  2. ^ Andrew Carnegie timeline of events at PBS.org
  3. ^ The Carnegie Committee, Cornell Alumni News, II(10), 29 November 1899, p. 6
  4. ^ Nasaw, David. Andrew Carnegie (New York: The Penguin Press, 2006)
  5. ^ Carnegie, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie (1920, 2006). ISBN 1-59986-967-5 (p. 339)

References

Primary sources

Secondary sources

Citations

  1. ^ dictionary. com
  2. ^ Andrew Carnegie timeline of events at PBS.org
  3. ^ The Carnegie Committee, Cornell Alumni News, II(10), 29 November 1899, p. 6
  4. ^ Nasaw, David. Andrew Carnegie (New York: The Penguin Press, 2006)
  5. ^ Carnegie, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie (1920, 2006). ISBN 1-59986-967-5 (p. 339)

External links

Academic offices
Preceded by
James Stuart		 Rector of the University of St Andrews
1901–1907		 Succeeded by
The Lord Avebury
James Stuart (January 1843 &ndash October 12, 1913) was a British educator and Politician. The Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews is chosen every three years by the students of the University of St Andrews. Sir John Lubbock 4th Baronet and 1st Baron Avebury, PC FRS ( 30 April 1834 &ndash 28 May 1913) English banker
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