Andrew Carnegie was born on Novemer 23, 1835 in Dunfermline, Scotland. He was born to a poor family. They lived in a house with only one main room, it was the typical weaver's cottage. The only room in their home was shared with the neighboring family. Andrew's father, William, decided it was a good idea to emigrate to the United States. In 1848 their family emigrated to Allegheny, Pennsylvania in hope for a better life. Allegheny was a very poor area. Andrew got his first job when he was thirteen as a bobbin boy. For that job he was required to change spools of thread in a cotton mill twelve hours a day, six days a week. Andrew made $1.25 per week. In 1850, Andrew got a job as a telegraph messenger boy at the Ohio Telegraph Company earning $2.50 per week.In 1853, Thomas A. Scott of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company empoloyed Andrew as the secretary/telegraph operater, making $4.00 per week. Andrew became the superintendent of the Pittsburgh Division when he was eighteen years old. In 1855, Andrew invested $500 in Adams Express. Slowly he started to collect shares in other investments he made, which was the basis of his future success.Andrew was the founder of Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company. Eventually his company merged with other companies and became U.S. Steel. Andrew used the money he made in the steel industry to create other businesses. He founded Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. Andrew ended up being the second richest man in America, after John D. Rockefeller. I'd say his is quite the Cinderella Story. I think the story of Andrew Carnegie's life is one that really shows that if you work hard and follow your dreams, you can really achieve great things.
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