From his humble beginnings as a Scottish immigrant to his ascension to wealth and power as a 'captain of industry', Andrew Carnegie embodied the American 'rags to riches' dream. Alive in the time of the Civil War, Carnegie was the epitome of a self-made man, first working his way up in a telegraph company and then making astute investments in the railroad industry. Through hard work, perseverance, and an earnest desire to develop himself in his education, culture, and personal economy, Carnegie finally made his considerable fortune in steel.