Andrew Carnegie Biography Essay

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Andrew Carnegie was a steel producer in the 19th century. He built himself a business from the ground up that earned him millions of dollars. Carnegie was an immigrant from Dunfermline, Scotland. As soon as he landed in the states he started building his business only at age 12. His hard work and determination helped him out in his later years. Andrew Carnegie was born November 11, 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland. Soon after Carnegies birth he and his family moved to to the United States. When the Carnegies moved to the states they got up and running very quickly. By 1889 Carnegie owned Carnegie Steel Corporation. This business was the largest of its kind in the world at the time. In 1901 Carnegie sold the company and dedicated all …show more content…

Carnegie began his first steel mill construction in 1872 in the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. This mill was named the Edgar Thomson Steel Works. These works began steel production (especially railroads) in 1874. Carnegie guessed that he made a profit of $40,000 from a $100,000 investment. Carnegie made enough profit to buy steel mills in surrounding areas. These mills included Homestead Steel Works. He acquired this in 1883. Carnegie's businesses used rivers such as the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers to transport their steel products. Each of Carnegie's steel plants were stationed along side or near rivers. Henry Frick, one of Carnegie's workers suggested that all of the companies consolidate. The consolidation happened on July 1, 1892. This formes what is known as the Carnegie Steel Company. The steel companies headquarter were in downtown Pittsburg in an early skyscraper that was built out of Carnegie Steel. This was built to display their products. The building stood 15 stories high and demolished in 1952. The building was later rebuilt as a memorial to Carnegie in 2012. Carnegie made technological advancements such as the open hearth furnace, the ability to use steel for structural support, and he showed that the navy could use his steel for armor plates. The company grew towards the modern side of things by using overhead cranes, hoist, charging machines, and buggies. These devices all speed up the process of making steel. The mills expanded and the labor forces grew rapidly. More unskilled workers were being hired, and the skilled workers did not appreciate this. The more skilled workers went on strike. These workers wanted reduced work hours and fought big against their pay cuts. Eventually the strike ended and everything was back to normal. The company grew to have a net worth of $21 million in 1889. In 1901 the company sold to the