Freedom and Capitalism, Ingenuity, Hardwork and Discipline

 

Andrew Carnegie

November 25, 1835 – August 11, 1919

Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and migrated to the United States at the age of thirteen with his parents. His first job was as a factory worker in a bobbin factory. He worked as a bill logger and became a messenger boy. Eventually he progressed up the ranks of a telegraph company. Through this experience, he learned a lot about the railroad industry and about business. Carnegie was subsequently promoted to superintendent. He built Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company, which was later merged with Federal Steel Company and several smaller companies to create U.S. Steel. Carnegie became a 19th century steel tycoon who became one of the 20th century's most famous philanthropists.

Humanitarian and Charitable Works

Carnegie established of public libraries throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and other English-speaking countries. In total Carnegie funded some 3,000 libraries, located in 47 US states, and also in Canada, the United Kingdom, what is now the Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, and Fiji. He also donated £50,000 to help set up the University of Birmingham in 1899.