ipl-logo

How Did Vanderbilt's Transportation Change The World?

601 Words3 Pages

The death of President Lincoln sparked a new era in the United States. It set forth new boundaries for what would take place in the American frontier. At age 16, Cornelius Vanderbilt bought his first ferry boat with a loan of $100. With his shipping industry well under way, he was given the nickname of “The Commodore”. He was very competitive and earned the reputation of being a “cut-throat” business man. Over the next forty-years, Vanderbilt’s shipping empire becomes the largest in the world. At the beginning of the Civil War, when the railroad system was just starting to develop, Cornelius sees the potential that the railroad system will have on the world once it is fully set. He then decides to take a huge risk and sell all of his shipping …show more content…

His competition sees his as weak, so he decides to close the only railway bridge into New York with a blockade. His competition is then forced to sell all their railways for near nothing. Within a short time, Vanderbilt owns all of his competitors railways. Vanderbilt envisions a place where the Hudson, Central, and Harlem Railroads will come together. In the heart of New York, construction begins on The Grand Central Depot. It was the biggest building in New York.Vanderbilt then wanted to gain control of the Erie Line. Vanderbilt has new competition, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk. Vanderbilt bought watered down stock from Gould and Fisk worth $7 million dollars. Vanderbilt then vows to never be underestimated again. He contacts John D. Rockefeller and he comes to New York. John D. Rockefeller sells kerosene and Vanderbilt wants a buy in. Rockefeller’s kerosene is used in lanterns to produce light in home across America. Rockefeller goes into business with Scott because he gave him a better deal than Vanderbilt could ever give him. With the alliance between Scott and Rockefeller, Rockefeller begins to buy out his competitors. Rockefeller plans to own every refinery in the

Show More
Related

  • How Did Cornelius Vanderbilt Change America

    345 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vanderbilt sought to own all of the Rail Lines in America, but was only able to achieve 40% of the Railroad. The Eerie line would complete Vanderbilt's goal to own all of the lines in

    Read More

  • Louisiana Purchase And The Adams-Onis Treaty Affect The Boundaries Of The United States

    1383 Words  | 6 Pages

    PART II—SHORT ANSWER (30 points) Instructions: In two paragraphs EACH, answer 3 of the following. 1. How did the Louisiana Purchase and the Adams-Onis Treaty affect the boundaries of the U.S.? The Adams-Onis Treaty was also known as the Transcontinental Treaty.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of USS Vanderbilt's Life During The Civil War

    177 Words  | 1 Pages

    During the Civil War, Vanderbilt donated his largest and fastest steamboat to the Union Navy. The USS Vanderbilt was used to chase down Confederate raiders. By the end of the war, Vanderbilt was the richest man in America. The Civil War cost him his favorite son, his heir, and Vanderbilt sank into depression and began drinking. Tragically, in 1868, his wife passed away.

    Read More

  • How Did The Civil War Influence The Development Of Big Business

    575 Words  | 3 Pages

    This essay will generally analyze the relationship between the government and businesses, and how “Big Business” essentially took control of the Gilded Age. America’s first true big business mostly arose because of the railroads, which is fairly significant, because it essentially helped lead the development of other business barons such as, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J. Pierpont Morgan who all had particularly extraordinary accomplishments in shaping our economy. Most of these men who created big businesses after the Civil War were driven by a compelling desire to become rich and influential.

    Read More

  • What Role Did Manifest Destiny Play In Westward Expansion

    857 Words  | 4 Pages

    America’s urgency and continuous interest to expand Westward helped drive the idea of “Manifest Destiny” within the budding nation. Within the early 1800s Americans believed that it was right and justified to expand west and claim the unorganized area to the west. Manifest Destiny helped to drive the young and evolving nation of America by creating changes within its political system, its societal ideologies, and its ever-expanding economy. In the late 1700s to early 1800s politics was mainly influenced by the realm of the wealthier, upper class; politicians would attempt to grab the attention and endorsement of men who owned large amounts of land and money.

    Read More

  • Industrialization Dbq

    612 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the years of 1870-1916 the U.S. went through an industrial boom that manifested the country we live in today. At the time, the nation was rebuilding it’s connections back up once again making the south and the north together as one union. In between all of the changes happening nationally, there were major developments in booming cities like inventions including new forms of industrial idealization, transportation, and the uprising of electricity and along with these inventions came users who would take advantage. As for transportation, one of the major effects of industrialization in the U.S. was the creation of the steamboat.

    Read More

  • Post Civil War Dbq

    1017 Words  | 5 Pages

    To say the time period following the Civil War in the United States involved a lot of change would be a understatement. Between the years 1870 and 1900 the people of the United States lived through a period of great change. Not only did they witness technological advances that would change their daily lives, they also saw new laws and organizations formed. All of this was done in hopes of improving the country. Many of these changes came about because of the type of businesses that were formed.

    Read More

  • Economic Growth During The Gilded Age

    760 Words  | 4 Pages

    The railroad business made it possible to ship goods between factories, cities, and towns. Goods could be shipped faster and more often. It stimulated sales, provided more jobs, increased production, and often lowered prices. “Big business” generated immense amounts of wealth for those who crossed the finish line at the top, their industries producing more and cheaper consumer goods than ever

    Read More

  • How Did Big Businesses Grow In The Late 19th Century

    587 Words  | 3 Pages

    After the Civil War, the unprecedented industrial and agricultural growth in the late nineteenth century was due to several factors. However, the most noteworthy factors include the new transportation and communications systems as these each allowed to boost businesses. Additionally, with the aid of leading entrepreneurs like John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J. Pierpont Morgan big businesses were created to expand American’s economy. The unprecedented industrial and agricultural growth in the late nineteenth century was stimulated by the rise of new transportation and communication systems.

    Read More

  • Cornelius Vanderbilt A Robber Baron

    964 Words  | 4 Pages

    Was Cornelius Vanderbilt a Robber Baron or Captain of Industry? A cruel businessman or an industrious leader? Henry J. Raymond believed that Vanderbilt was “a monopolist that crushed other competitors”(T.J Stiles). While he is also deemed one of America’s leading businessmen, and is also credited for helping shape the United States. His fortunes were made unfairly in some cases but his million dollar contribution to the Navy was very generous.

    Read More

  • Gilded Age DBQ

    902 Words  | 4 Pages

    This illustration was used to show how the tycoons had become too powerful, in the eyes of some people, to an extent of extreme oppression. Using ‘pools’, horizontal integration, and assuming smaller companies in order to extinguish competition, are all the forte of the Vanderbilt business. Despite the large income of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the capitalist did not treat his workers well, in terms of their wages or living conditions. Instead, the millionaire rather invested in lavish houses or items, reflecting the wealthy lifestyle of many of these capitalist elites (Doc 6). In “The Concentration of Industry, and Machinery in the United States”, E. Levasseur stated, “...he had worked in seventeen years in England, and that conditions were much better than in America” (Doc 7).

    Read More

  • The Invention Of Steamboat During The Civil War

    75 Words  | 1 Pages

    Traveling for trade’s or for visit was a lot more faster after the steamboat was invented. It was a lot more easier to travel upriver and going against its current. Before the steamboat was even invented, they took more time and a lot more energy when going up steam or against the current. The use of steam speed up the efficient transportation of perishable good and trades. Steamboat was extremely valuable during the civil war.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Impact Of Railroads In America

    821 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Tremendous Impact of Railroads on America In the late 19th century, railroads propelled America into an era of unprecedented growth, prosperity, and convenient transportation. Prior to the building of the railroads, America lacked the proper and rapid transportation to make traveling across the country economical or practical. Lengthy travel was often cumbersome, costly, and dangerous.

    Read More

  • Corruption Hidden Among The Transcontinental Railroads In The Gilded Age

    1052 Words  | 5 Pages

    One major industry during this time period was found in the railroad. The of course was also considered the center of national or both financial and political corruption (White, 21). While transcontinental railroads were essential developments for the growth of the United

    Read More

  • Transportation In The 1800s Essay

    558 Words  | 3 Pages

    The building of roads, canals and railroads played a large role in the United States during the 1800s. They served the purpose of connecting towns and settlements so that goods could be transported quickly and more efficiently. These goods could be transported fast, cheap and in safe way through the Erie Canal that was built to connect the Great Lakes to New York. Railroads were important during Civil War as well, because it helped in the transportation of goods, supplies and weapons when necessary. These new forms of transportation shaped the United States into the place that it is today.

    Read More

More about How Did Vanderbilt's Transportation Change The World?

Open Document