The Men Who Built America Episode 1

What nickname does Cornelius Vanderbilt acquire?

• The Commodore

• The Captain

• The Commander

• The Controller

What risk does Vanderbilt take at the height of his shipping career just before the Civil War?

• Invests 3 million into his shipping company

• Sells his shipping company

• Raises his shipping prices

• Adds railroads to his shipping company so he can ship by boat and by train

What big project does Vanderbilt create in New York City?

• Built a shipyard

• Built New York Harbor

• Built the subway system

• Grand Central Depot

What do Jay Gould and Jim Fisk do to thwart Vanderbilt's plan to buy the Erie Rail Line?

• Raise the price too high

• Buy the rail line before he can

• Water down the stock value (issue lots of stock so it loses value)

• Refuse to sell the rail line to Vanderbilt

What does Vanderbilt decide that he needs to do to finally control a majority of the railroads in America?

• Lower his shipping costs to get more business

• Blackmail other railroad owners into selling

• Transport new cargo

• Buy them all

Who does Vanderbilt decide to meet with in order to keep his trains full of cargo?

• J.D. Rockefeller

• J. P. Morgan

• Andrew Carnegie

• Jay Fisk

What event changes the outlook of the man from Cleveland?

• He hears people drilling for oil and realizes he could make a lot of money

• His wife nearly dies from Scarlett Fever

• The train he was supposed to be on derails, which would have killed him

• His son dies in the Civil War

Why did Vanderbilt want control of the Erie Rail Line and how did he attempt to get it?

• The Erie Rail Line is the most used and profitable. He starts buying up all the stock.

• It's the only railroad line available. He buys it from Gould and Fisk.

• He's trying to break into the railroad industry. He buys up the stock

• Vanderbilt wants the railroad monopoly, he tries to be partners with Gould and Fisk.

Sumner Redstone (majority owner of Viacom & CBS) claims that a successful business owner objective should be what?

• To own the monopoly

• To make the most money

• To have the best product

• to win