The Master Builder: A Foundation of Iron Summary and Analysis

Americans in the North have seven years of peace and prosperity as they begin to exploit American markets. Retail and mercantile firms are formed and the Gilded Age develops in New York. Corruption in construction of the Union Pacific Railroad is exposed with the Credit Mobilier scandal where congressmen get railroad stock to misuse public funds. Carnegie forms an enterprise to manufacture Bessemer steel as he changes from capitalist to entrepreneur. Tom Miller is a railroad man who forms joint ventures with Carnegie in several small investments. They form Freedom Iron Company of Lewiston Pennsylvania in 1861 that Carnegie restructures into Freedom Iron and Steel to retool for the Bessemer process in 1866. The process takes longer than expected, but by 1868 production begins, and expansion is planned in 1872.

Previously Carnegie gets...