Was Andrew Carnegie A Hero?

Improved Essays
Andrew Carnegie was one of the most famous businessman during the 1800’s. He worked in the steel industry and contributed a lot to the American society and economy. But he wasn’t as good as he looked, and he for sure wasn’t a hero. A hero is someone who cares about others and who is admired for having basic human qualities. But Carnegie never cared about them, and he lacked empathy and humanity. Andrew Carnegie wasn’t a hero because he mistreated his workers and he just gave money away to make himself look good.

Carnegie didn’t treat his workers fairly. In fact, he abused and dehumanized them. According to document 6, the workers called the factories the “Death Trap”, because of its highly dangerous working conditions. They were exposed to

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Todd Beamer: Heroic Hero

    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Todd Beamer A hero is an individual who is admired for his or her qualities and accomplishments. Someone who is a hero is a selfless leader, and has a positive impact on society. Heros leave a legacy and are respected by others. The courageous achievements of Todd Beamer are heroic in many ways.…

    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Andrew Carnegie entered the steel price and production pools he quit when it ran out and kept the tariff of steel high. Carnegie bought out his rivals whenever a depression hit that allowed for the company to profit and monopolizing his industry and in 1901, J.P Morgan gained Carnegie Steel and built U.S Steel. In his time Andrew Carnegie came to represent the entire steel-making complex of men and decisions just like how John D. Rockefeller personified Standard Oil . Of course despite the role these influential individuals played into contributing to the development to the American culture, people would attack big business men like these two corporate owners not for…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Carnegie helped many people out of the kindness of his heart. Andrew Carnegie helped industrialize America, he was the author of The Gospel of Wealth, and he gave back to the community by funding places in need. Andrew Carnegie helped in the industrialization of America. Carnegie was a Scottish immigrant who became one of America's robber barons. He was noted as the first robber baron to have about $450 million.…

    • 878 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, George Eastman and J.P. Morgan were Captains of Industry because they improved America by creating jobs, innovating their industry and giving generously to their communities. Each of them demonstrated this in many ways. One way these men proved that they were Captains of Industry was by innovating many of the booming industries. Andrew Carnegie Specialized in the steel industry. He made the industry popular by taking the idea from Great Britain to America.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In “Who was Andrew Carnegie?” it states that “Carnegie’s steel workers were often pushed to long hours and low wages.” This shows that Carnegie did not treat his workers well and that he paid them low wages so that he could keep more money for himself. Also from the same document “Carnegie threw his support behind plant manager Henry Frick, who locked out workers and hired Pinkerton thugs to intimidate strikers. Many were killed in the conflict.”…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    I do believe Andrew Carnegie was a hero even though he didn’t always help the work force he created jobs for them, paying them, as well as donated to charities to help them. While you may look at it as he did not pay them enough or he did not support labor unions. You could also look at it as if he did not provide work for them who would. Being the American Dream, Andrew Carnegie was able to succeed and live a successful…

    • 1042 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Was Andrew Carnegie a hero, or a villain? By working hard, he was able to become one of the richest men in America and one of the most famous businessman during the 1800’s. He worked in the steel industry and contributed a lot to the American society and U.S economy. But he wasn’t as good as he looked, and he for sure wasn’t a hero. A hero is someone who cares about others and who is admired for having basic human qualities.…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Carnegie is a hero because he helped the community a lot. Although he didn’t treat his workers as good as possible, he donated back to the community a lot and produced a lot of steel to better the world. In the year of 1889 Andrew Carnegie owned Carnegie Steel Corporation, the largest of its kind in the world. Instead of buying iron he bought the iron mines.…

    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    “After eight years as President I have only two regrets: that I have not shot Henry Clay or hanged John C. Calhoun.” This is something that President Andrew Jackson said, one of the most controversial presidents in the history of the United States. What does this morbid quote say about the type of person he is? Should we have the face of a president who duelled with firearms over petty arguments in his hometown on our money? What did him being put on the 20 dollar bill mean; that he was a hero?…

    • 225 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Although far outclassing many other colorful characters in American history, in the present age, Carnegie’s philosophy is also greatly admired and Carnegie’s philanthropy…

    • 2369 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Libraries cost money to build and maintain, regardless of how they are organized, and at the turn of the 20th century if you wanted a library you would write to Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie took the fortune he made in steel and turned it around to support libraries for everyone without looking at color. In areas of intense segregation, African Americans became fed up with the substandard quality of the library they were allowed to use as opposed to the library for white people. Carnegie would hear their complaints and then build a better library for the African Americans than the white people had. This was especially prominent in Houston, where his support led to the people negotiating with the city for an all-black board of trustees.…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Carnegie was a hero because of his business practices and philanthropy but wasn’t a hero because of his relations with his workers. One reason why Carnegie was a hero is because he…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Carnegie believed that it was the duty of the wealthy to help the poor. His idea of help came in the form of opportunities “to help those who will help themselves.” The wealthy would provide opportunities, not direct aid, to the poor; these opportunities could take the forms of “free libraries, parks, and means of recreation by which men are helped in body and mind; works of art, certain to give pleasure and improve the general condition of the people.” However, these opportunities did not really help the poor.…

    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Carnegie shouldn’t be considered a hero because his selfish, ambitious, and extreme competitive attitudes had made a negative impact on others. A hero is someone who helps people who is in need of help and someone who gives to the poor and doesn’t spend money on unnecessary things that aren’t important. A hero is also somebody who has good leadership. Carnegie had a steelmaking company, In Carnegie’s time in the northeast of about the 1900s. Carnegie’s selfish attitude shows that he had a negative impact on some people.…

    • 613 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Andrew Carnegie made his fortune that dealt with steel, turning the industrial world into something completely new and different (PBS). With findings of steel came skyscrapers, railroads and even bridges which made the American Industry sky rocket to another level, all thanks to Andrew Carnegie (PBS). He was the creater and master behind it all, and behind things that we even use today. Without him, there would not be any jobs for the workers of this time. They should have accepted the inequality and great wealth in his hands because he is what started creating that time period for them, making their lives easier and more advanced.…

    • 1765 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays