ANALYZING THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT
Yaran Zhang
Student #: 220
RedID: 816353168
Introduction
To understand the evolution of business in America, one must first analyze the great men and women that heavily contributed to the sector. The book “The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt” by T. J Styles looks at Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the greatest historical figures in business, analyzing his success, struggle, contributions, and overall life. Almost all trade moguls and tycoons have admitted that Vanderbilt was one of the few men that made tremendous impacts to the American economy by heavily influencing the transportation sector. Vanderbilt story embodies the American dream where an individual rises from nothing to greatness. The author, who faced various odds in documenting the life of a man who kept little records of his life, delivers a good account of the protagonist. He …show more content…
The pursuit and maximization of wealth are clearly brought out in the book, and it also shows how capitalism was shaped by individuals like Vanderbilt. The author points that “Commodore” ended up being the richest man in America in the 19th century, mostly at the expense of other merchants. At the time of his demise, estimates of his fortune stood at $100,000,000, and to have amassed such wealth having come from a humble background is a tremendous feat. The author’s portrayal of Vanderbilt as a competitive individual who was overly aggressive and ruthless when it came to business seems to support his climb into the class of elite at his time. The form that capitalism took up at that time tends to differ from the current form. For example, watering down of shares was an obstacle that Vanderbilt faced but was not known at that time. However, it is now an illegal activity thus showing how some of the events in this book shaped the current business
Yaran Zhang
Student #: 220
RedID: 816353168
Introduction
To understand the evolution of business in America, one must first analyze the great men and women that heavily contributed to the sector. The book “The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt” by T. J Styles looks at Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the greatest historical figures in business, analyzing his success, struggle, contributions, and overall life. Almost all trade moguls and tycoons have admitted that Vanderbilt was one of the few men that made tremendous impacts to the American economy by heavily influencing the transportation sector. Vanderbilt story embodies the American dream where an individual rises from nothing to greatness. The author, who faced various odds in documenting the life of a man who kept little records of his life, delivers a good account of the protagonist. He …show more content…
The pursuit and maximization of wealth are clearly brought out in the book, and it also shows how capitalism was shaped by individuals like Vanderbilt. The author points that “Commodore” ended up being the richest man in America in the 19th century, mostly at the expense of other merchants. At the time of his demise, estimates of his fortune stood at $100,000,000, and to have amassed such wealth having come from a humble background is a tremendous feat. The author’s portrayal of Vanderbilt as a competitive individual who was overly aggressive and ruthless when it came to business seems to support his climb into the class of elite at his time. The form that capitalism took up at that time tends to differ from the current form. For example, watering down of shares was an obstacle that Vanderbilt faced but was not known at that time. However, it is now an illegal activity thus showing how some of the events in this book shaped the current business