What was Andrew Carnegie's situation as a young man?

• A. He was wealthy and well-educated
• B. His family struggled financially and sent him to work
• C. He was an orphan
• D. He worked in a factory with his father

Answer: (B)

Andrew Carnegie's early life was marked by financial hardship and the struggle of his family. He was born into a poor family in Scotland and immigrated to the United States when he was a child. After arriving in America, his family faced many challenges, which resulted in Carnegie having to start working at a young age to help support them. This experience of financial struggle and the necessity of entering the workforce shaped Carnegie's later views on hard work and social mobility. He began working as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory, earning just a few cents a day, which set the stage for his remarkable rise to wealth and prominence in the steel industry later in life. This context underscores the difficulties he overcame and highlights the values of determination and ingenuity that defined his career.