History of the United States II / Unit 3 USH2 0324 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Vanderbilt
Captions available
The idea
Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt consolidated separate trunk lines into the New York Central Railroad, one system under one owner.
In practice
A fortune of more than one hundred million dollars at his death in eighteen seventy-seven.
Where people slip
The anchor sets Vanderbilt, who built working railroads, against Jay Gould, whose profits came from financial manipulation. Both were called robber barons.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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