Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in 1794 in Staten Island, New York to a poor family. He started his first business at a young age, buying a boat to ferry goods. He reinvested his profits and expanded his shipping business. Later, Vanderbilt recognized railroads as the future and invested heavily in them, acquiring several major lines. Through strategic business dealings, he dominated railroad transportation in the Northeast and became one of the richest men in late 19th century America before his death in 1877.

1. By Nicholas Hoang

2.  Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in Staten, New
York on January 4,1877

3.  Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in Staten, New
York on May 27,1794 to a very poor family
 At a young age he bought his first boat
periauger and started shipping and was given
the nickname(Commodore).

4.  He shipped goods, products, and soon had
many boats.
 When the Transcontinental Railroad was made
he invested in railroads thinking it was the
future and soon made a fortune from his
investment. He acquired the New York and
Harlem Railroad in 1862-1863, the Hudson
River Railroad in 1864 and the New York
Central Railroad in 1867. In 1869 they were
merged into New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad.

5.  The railroad he owned was the only railroad
into United States biggest trade center.
 And they wanted to go on his railroad for free.
So Vanderbilt said, ‘‘Lets watch them bleed ’’.
He didn’t let anyone use his road till they paid
him and he became rich with that.
 He was rivals with Tom Scott(Andrew
Carnegie’s mentor who also wanted to be King
of Railroads

6.  At this time he had at least 50% of all railroads
but he wanted it all
 To become very powerful he needed the Erie
Railroad and he bought all of it at the stock
market
 Before he had gotten the Erie Canal, Gould and
Fisk sold water-down stocks which are worth
nothing and he lost over 1.1 billion’s worth in
today’s money

7.  Later on in life he achieved more
accomplishments
 And was defeated by John D. Rockefeller(King
Of Oil)
 He died on January 4,1877

8.  One of his sons the one who had many features
like his dad Cornelius Vanderbilt had died in a
war
 His other son William had few features like
him, was bad at business, and inherited
Cornelius Vanderbilt’s money the most

9.  As simple as this Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of
America's richest men in the second half of the
19th century. He started in business when he was
16 years old -- he borrowed money, bought a boat
and started as a ferryman between Staten Island
and New York City. He went on to make his fortune
in the steamship business -- earning the nickname
"Commodore" -- and got rich off opportunities such
as the War of 1812, the California Gold Rush of
1849 and the Crimean War (1853-56). When he
was nearly 70 years old he sold his ships and got
into the railroad financing business, and by the
time he died Vanderbilt was said to be America's
richest man. A self-made multimillionaire, he was
known for his crude manners and cutthroat
approach to business.