Eat right

This post is for both Low and High Level students.


Dear students,

I would like you to carefully read this post, watch the videos, do some exercises. Please, learn as much as you can. When you finish everything, write a sample of a daily menu (breakfast, lunch or dinner) using service sizes examples from different food groups. If you have question, ask me.

Irena

 

First, check how healthy you are. Here is a short quiz for you, just for fun.

QUIZ (click on the title)

Now let's learn a little about FOOD PYRAMID:

So, as you can see, the FOOD PYRAMID (the oldest version of different food groups) consists of 6 different sections:

1 - FATS, SWEETS (you should eat minimum or sparingly)

2 - DAIRY (you should eat 2 - 3 servings)

3 - MEATS, EGGS, NUTS (you should eat 2 - 3 servings)

4 - VEGETABLES (you should eat 3 - 5 servings)

5 - FRUITS (you should eat 2 - 4 servings)
6 - BREAD, CEREAL, PASTA, NOODLES, RICE (you should eat 6 - 11 servings)

A little about servings... A serving is an individual portion of food or drink. Basically, it's a half of a cup, but here are some serving sizes examples. Read them and remember:

Grains (Bread, Pasta, Cereal)

• 1 bread slice
• 1/2 roll
• 1/2 cup of cereals, rise or cooked pasta
• 1 cup of popcorn (no butter)
• 1 small muffin
• 5-6 crackers

Whole grain foods like whole wheat, oatmeal and brown or wild rice are healthier and better.

Fruits

• 1 fruit (small apple, banana or orange)
• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1 slice melon
• 3/4 cup of fruits juice
• 1/2 cup of berries (raspberry, blackberry, blueberry etc.)
• 1/2 cup of fruit salad
• 1/4 cup of figs

Whole fruit is preferable to juice, but any fruit counts: fresh, frozen, canned or dried. 

Meat, Nuts and Seeds

• 1/2 cooked beans
• 10-12 peanuts
• 10-12 almonds
• 2 table spoons of peanut butter
• 1/3 cup of nuts/seeds
• 1 egg
• 8 oz of beef, chicken, lamb or pork
• 8-10 oz any kind of fish

You have to go lean (less fat) with protein. Vegetarians should eat more beans and nuts to get their daily dose of protein and iron.

Greens and Vegetables

• 1/2 cup of cooked greens
• 1/2 cup of sliced greens
• 1 cup of greens (spinach, lettuce, kale)
• 1 cup of other salad (tomatoes, cucumber, reddish, broccoli, cauliflower)
• 3/4 cup of greens juice

You have to eat different vegetables. Any kind of vegetable juice counts as a member of this group.

Dairy

• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of soy milk
• 1 cup of yogurt
• 30–40 gm of cheese (2 slices or 2 string cheese)
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream

Here is some more information about all the food groups:

#1. FATS, OILS and SWEETS are not in the healthy food.

You have to limit food from this group, but your body still needs them, and they are in other foods like meat and dairy products.

Cakes, cookies, chocolate, candy and ice cream are not good for your body; however, many people like them, so you should only eat a little of this food and not very often.

#2. MILK, YOGURT and CHEESE group (DAIRY) is pretty important for growing kids and old people.

It is a very good source of 

 - calcium

 - protein

 - vitamins

#3. MEAT, POULTRY (chicken, turkey, duck, goose and other birds), FISH, BEANS, EGGS, NUTS.


This group is important to keep you healthy, but your body doesn't need as much from this group as the others. This group contains:

- protein

- vitamins

- iron

- minerals

#4. VEGETABLES are very good for you, and there are many different vegetables.

They have a lot of:

- vitamins

- minerals

- carbohydrates

- fiber

#5. FRUIT. They can be fresh and raw, canned and dried, so it is pretty easy to eat a lot.

They have:

- vitamins

- fiber

- minerals

- carbohydrates

#6. BREAD and CEREAL group is the biggest group because you need to choose most of your daily food from here.

This group has:

- B vitamins

- fiber

- carbohydrates

- some calcium

- iron

Here is a newest version of food groups: My Plate

What group is this food? Here is a quiz:

FOOD GROUPS (click on the title)

Please, watch this video. It will help you learn names of vegetables.

Now here is another video about fruit and nuts.

Now listen and watch. Here is Todd talking about daily diet.

DAILY DIET (click on the title)

You have to learn about junk food. Junk food is food that is bad for you.

Watch this funny video. It's Mr. Bean's eating contest.

All this information will help you eat right. After learning everything about good and healthy food, you will know what is good for you and what is not.

Here are some  Healthy Eating Tips:

Eat at least 3 meals a day and plan your meals ahead of time.

Balance your plate with the right portions of of foods: 

- half your plate should be filled with vegetables 

- one fourth with lean meat, poultry or fish

- one fourth with grains. 

Add a glass of fat-free or low-fat milk and a serving of fruit for dessert.

Don't use a large dinner plate. Use a smaller one. It may help you eat reduced portions - eat less.

Start your meal with fruits, vegetables and salads. Then move on to the main course and side dishes.


Focus on your food. Pick one place to sit down and eat at home. While eating, don't do anything else. 

Stop eating before you feel full or stuffed. It takes about 20 minutes
for your brain to get the message that your body is getting enough food. 

Don't eat fast!

Get plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.

Drink a lot of water. 

Exercise at least 10-15 min a day, walk or run.

You can use this chart-picture to get some ideas how to use My Plate properly and effectively.



Phrasal verbs

Dear students,

Yesterday we learned some phrasal verbs, such as "take off", "get on", "go out", etc. On the internet I have found some more information about these verbs. I also posted here some of the videos. Please, open these links, read, watch and listen. Learn more! Good luck to you.

Irena

What are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs that use a preposition are called prepositional verbs. Other names for phrasal verb is a compound verb. A phrasal or compound verb is a phrase with a verb and a preposition. 

The meaning of Phrasal Verbs cannot be understood based upon the meaning of their parts taken in alone one by one or the meanings of the individual parts on their own, but rather it must be taken as a whole. 

When one picks someone up, one is not selecting that person for anything, but rather taking them somewhere in a vehicle. 

When one runs over something, one is in no way actually running but driving or at the very least rolling. The meaning of the two or more words together is often very different from what one might guess it to be, based upon the meanings of the individual parts on their own.

A phrasal verb that we learned yesterday is a combination of a verb and a preposition. A phrasal verb often has a meaning which is different from the original verb.

Here is a link with some more information about phrasal verbs. Study and memorize them. Learn their meaning and do some exercises.

More information about phrasal verbs

Exercise 

Here is a useful link for Spanish speaking students. It's a link to phrasal verbs with Spanish translation.

Phrasal verbs with Spanish translations

There are some videos with stories about different people. In this stories you can here phrasal verbs. Listen carefully and try to understand and remember them. The first story is about Jim, but before watching and listening to it, read the following:

Verb list from the video:

1. Get rid of - make somebody or something burdensome unpleasant or unnecessary go away.
2. Take turns - if two or more people take turns to do something, or in British English, take it in turns to do something, they do it one after the other several times, rather than doing it together.
3. Wear out - use something heavily for a long time until it is no longer useful.
4. Throw away - discard something or get rid of something no longer wanted.

Jim is living an easy life. He takes turns with his brothers going on hunts and managing the family business. He likes to hunt. In fact, he wants to hunt until he wears out his shoes. Then he'll throw them away, get new ones, and hunt some more. There is only one problem: his brothers think he is lazy and spoiled. In fact, they want to get rid of him. He has to be careful every time he goes hunting.



Here is another story. It's called Dangerous Woman.

Verb list from the video:

1. Put up with - tolerate somebody or accept somebody calmly.
2. Make fun of - if you make fun of somebody or something, you laugh at them tease them or make jokes about them in a way that causes them to seem ridiculous.
3. Break down - to become upset emotionally or cause somebody to become upset emotionally. 
4. Blow up - destroy something or kill somebody by causing an explosion, or be destroyed in this way. 
5. Burn down - to catch fire and burn until almost nothing remains, or burn something such as a building in order to destroy it.

Here is a story. Listen and watch.

Alice is a dangerous woman. In high school, people used to make fun of her because she had unusual spiritual ideas. They had never heard of such nonsense. After putting up with their jokes for years, she finally broke down. She threatened to blow up the city hall and burn down the school. Now she is just drifting from town to town looking for someone who shares her unusual ideas. She is often lonely.

Here is one more video. Watch it, please.

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Here is a list of 200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and examples. Only the most usual meanings are given. Some phrasal verbs may have additional meanings.  Please, study them.

Verb		Meaning	Example
ask someone out		invite on a date	Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
ask around		ask many people the same question	I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
add up to something		equal	Your purchases add up to $205.32.
back something up		reverse	You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.
back someone up		support	My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.
blow up		explode	The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.
blow something up		add air	We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
break down		stop functioning (vehicle, machine)	Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.
break down		get upset	The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.
break something down		divide into smaller parts	Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.
break in		force entry to a building	Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.
break into something		enter forcibly	The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.
break something in		wear something a few times so that it doesn't look/feel new	I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.
break in		interrupt	The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death.
break up		end a relationship	My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.
break up		start laughing (informal)	The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.
break out		escape	The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking.
break out in something		develop a skin condition	I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
bring someone down		make unhappy	This sad music is bringing me down.
bring someone up		raise a child	My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.
bring something up		start talking about a subject	My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.
bring something up		vomit	He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.
call around		phone many different places/people	We called around but we weren't able to find the car part we needed.
call someone back		return a phone call	I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.
call something off		cancel	Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love with his fiancé.
call on someone		ask for an answer or opinion	The professor called on me for question 1.
call on someone		visit someone	We called on you last night but you weren't home.
call someone up		phone	Give me your phone number and I will call you up when we are in town.
calm down		relax after being angry	You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car.
not care for someone/something		not like (formal)	I don't care for his behaviour.
catch up		get to the same point as someone else	You'll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.
check in		arrive and register at a hotel or airport	We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
check out		leave a hotel	You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM.
check someone/something out		look at carefully, investigate	The company checks out all new employees.
check out someone/something		look at (informal)	Check out the crazy hair on that guy!
cheer up		become happier	She cheered up when she heard the good news.
cheer someone up		make happier	I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.
chip in		help	If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.
clean something up		tidy, clean	Please clean up your bedroom before you go outside.
come across something		find unexpectedly	I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.
come apart		separate	The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.
come down with something		become sick	My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.
come forward		volunteer for a task or to give evidence	The woman came forward with her husband's finger prints.
come from somewhere		originate in	The art of origami comes from Asia.
count on someone/something		rely on	I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.
cross something out		draw a line through	Please cross out your old address and write your new one.
cut back on something		consume less	My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets and fatty foods.
cut something down		make something fall to the ground	We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.
cut in		interrupt	Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.
cut in		pull in too closely in front of another vehicle	The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.
cut in		start operating (of an engine or electrical device)	The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22°C.
cut something off		remove with something sharp	The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.
cut something off		stop providing	The phone company cut off our phone because we didn't pay the bill.
cut someone off		take out of a will	My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.
cut something out		remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper)	I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
do someone/something over		beat up, ransack (Br.E., informal)	He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.
do something over		do again (N.Amer.)	My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn't like my topic.
do away with something		discard	It's time to do away with all of these old tax records.
do something up		fasten, close	Do your coat up before you go outside. It's snowing!
dress up		wear nice clothing	It's a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.
drop back		move back in a position/group	Andrea dropped back to third place when she fell off her bike.
drop in/by/over		come without an appointment	I might drop in/by/over for tea some time this week.
drop someone/something off		take someone/something somewhere and leave them/it there	I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.
drop out		quit a class, school etc	I dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.
eat out		eat at a restaurant	I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.
end up		eventually reach/do/decide	We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.
fall apart		break into pieces	My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.
fall down		fall to the ground	The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.
fall out		separate from an interior	The money must have fallen out of my pocket.
fall out		(of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached	His hair started to fall out when he was only 35.
figure something out		understand, find the answer	I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room.
fill something in		to write information in blanks (Br.E.)	Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.
fill something out		to write information in blanks (N.Amer.)	The form must be filled out in capital letters.
fill something up		fill to the top	I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.
find out		discover	We don't know where he lives. How can we find out?
find something out		discover	We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found it out.
get something across/over		communicate, make understandable	I tried to get my point across/over to the judge but she wouldn't listen.
get along/on		like each other	I was surprised how well my new girlfriend and my sister got along/on.
get around		have mobility	My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair.
get away		go on a vacation	We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.
get away with something		do without being noticed or punished	Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.
get back		return	We got back from our vacation last week.
get something back		receive something you had before	Liz finally got her Science notes back from my room-mate.
get back at someone		retaliate, take revenge	My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
get back into something		become interested in something again	I finally got back into my novel and finished it.
get on something		step onto a vehicle	We're going to freeze out here if you don't let us get on the bus.
get over something		recover from an illness, loss, difficulty	I just got over the flu and now my sister has it.
get over something		overcome a problem	The company will have to close if it can't get over the new regulations.
get round to something		finally find time to do (N.Amer.: get around to something)	I don't know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards.
get together		meet (usually for social reasons)	Let's get together for a BBQ this weekend.
get up		get out of bed	I got up early today to study for my exam.
get up		stand	You should get up and give the elderly man your seat.
give someone away		reveal hidden information about someone	His wife gave him away to the police.
give someone away		take the bride to the altar	My father gave me away at my wedding.
give something away		ruin a secret	My little sister gave the surprise party away by accident.
give something away		give something to someone for free	The library was giving away old books on Friday.
give something back		return a borrowed item	I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.
give in		reluctantly stop fighting or arguing	My boyfriend didn't want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave in.
give something out		give to many people (usually at no cost)	They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.
give something up		quit a habit	I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
give up		stop trying	My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.
go after someone		follow someone	My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.
go after something		try to achieve something	I went after my dream and now I am a published writer.
go against someone		compete, oppose	We are going against the best soccer team in the city tonight.
go ahead		start, proceed	Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.
go back		return to a place	I have to go back home and get my lunch.
go out		leave home to go on a social event	We're going out for dinner tonight.
go out with someone		date	Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.
go over something		review	Please go over your answers before you submit your test.
go over		visit someone nearby	I haven't seen Tina for a long time. I think I'll go over for an hour or two.
go without something		suffer lack or deprivation	When I was young, we went without winter boots.
grow apart		stop being friends over time	My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools.
grow back		regrow	My roses grew back this summer.
grow up		become an adult	When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.
grow out of something		get too big for	Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out of her old ones.
grow into something		grow big enough to fit	This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year.
hand something down		give something used to someone else	I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.
hand something in		submit	I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
hand something out		to distribute to a group of people	We will hand out the invitations at the door.
hand something over		give (usually unwillingly)	The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.
hang in		stay positive (N.Amer., informal)	Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find a job very soon.
hang on		wait a short time (informal)	Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!
hang out		spend time relaxing (informal)	Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.
hang up		end a phone call	He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.
hold someone/something back		prevent from doing/going	I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park.
hold something back		hide an emotion	Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather's funeral.
hold on		wait a short time	Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.
hold onto someone/something		hold firmly using your hands or arms	Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside.
hold someone/somethingup		rob	A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning.
keep on doing something		continue doing	Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
keep something from someone		not tell	We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.
keep someone/something out		stop from entering	Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.
keep something up		continue at the same rate	If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.
let someone down		fail to support or help, disappoint	I need you to be on time. Don't let me down this time.
let someone in		allow to enter	Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
look after someone/something		take care of	I have to look after my sick grandmother.
look down on someone		think less of, consider inferior	Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
look for someone/something		try to find	I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.
look forward to something		be excited about the future	I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.
look into something		investigate	We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.
look out		be careful, vigilant, and take notice	Look out! That car's going to hit you!
look out for someone/something		be especially vigilant for	Don't forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.
look something over		check, examine	Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?
look something up		search and find information in a reference book or database	We can look her phone number up on the Internet.
look up to someone		have a lot of respect for	My little sister has always looked up to me.
make something up		invent, lie about something	Josie made up a story about about why we were late.
make up		forgive each other	We were angry last night, but we made up at breakfast.
make someone up		apply cosmetics to	My sisters made me up for my graduation party.
mix something up		confuse two or more things	I mixed up the twins' names again!
pass away		die	His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pass out		faint	It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.
pass something out		give the same thing to many people	The professor passed the textbooks out before class.
pass something up		decline (usually something good)	I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.
pay someone back		return owed money	Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll pay you back on Friday.
pay for something		be punished for doing something bad	That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother.
pick something out		choose	I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
point someone/something out		indicate with your finger	I'll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.
put something down		put what you are holding on a surface or floor	You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.
put someone down		insult, make someone feel stupid	The students put the substitute teacher down because his pants were too short.
put something off		postpone	We are putting off our trip until January because of the hurricane.
put something out		extinguish	The neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.
put something together		assemble	I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives.
put up with someone/something		tolerate	I don't think I can put up with three small children in the car.
put something on		put clothing/accessories on your body	Don't forget to put on your new earrings for the party.
run into someone/something		meet unexpectedly	I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
run over someone/something		drive a vehicle over a person or thing	I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway.
run over/through something		rehearse, review	Let's run over/through these lines one more time before the show.
run away		leave unexpectedly, escape	The child ran away from home and has been missing for three days.
run out		have none left	We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.
send something back		return (usually by mail)	My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.
set something up		arrange, organize	Our boss set a meeting up with the president of the company.
set someone up		trick, trap	The police set up the car thief by using a hidden camera.
shop around		compare prices	I want to shop around a little before I decide on these boots.
show off		act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully)	He always shows off on his skateboard
sleep over		stay somewhere for the night (informal)	You should sleep over tonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.
sort something out		organize, resolve a problem	We need to sort the bills out before the first of the month.
stick to something		continue doing something, limit yourself to one particular thing	You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.
switch something off		stop the energy flow, turn off	The light's too bright. Could you switch it off.
switch something on		start the energy flow, turn on	We heard the news as soon as we switched on the car radio.
take after someone		resemble a family member	I take after my mother. We are both impatient.
take something apart		purposely break into pieces	He took the car brakes apart and found the problem.
take something back		return an item	I have to take our new TV back because it doesn't work.
take off		start to fly	My plane takes off in five minutes.
take something off		remove something (usually clothing)	Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!
take something out		remove from a place or thing	Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?
take someone out		pay for someone to go somewhere with you	My grandparents took us out for dinner and a movie.
tear something up		rip into pieces	I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and gave them back to him.
think back		remember (often + to, sometimes + on)	When I think back on my youth, I wish I had studied harder.
think something over		consider	I'll have to think this job offer over before I make my final decision.
throw something away		dispose of	We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.
turn something down		decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc)	Please turn the TV down while the guests are here.
turn something down		refuse	I turned the job down because I don't want to move.
turn something off		stop the energy flow, switch off	Your mother wants you to turn the TV off and come for dinner.
turn something on		start the energy, switch on	It's too dark in here. Let's turn some lights on.
turn something up		increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc)	Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song.
turn up		appear suddenly	Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.
try something on		sample clothing	I'm going to try these jeans on, but I don't think they will fit.
try something out		test	I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.
use something up		finish the supply	The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more.
wake up		stop sleeping	We have to wake up early for work on Monday.
warm someone/something up		increase the temperature	You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.
warm up		prepare body for exercise	I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.
wear off		fade away	Most of my make-up wore off before I got to the party.
work out		exercise	I work out at the gym three times a week.
work out		be successful	Our plan worked out fine.
work something out		make a calculation	We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house.

Andrew Carnegie: Steel Magnate and Philanthropist

Dear students,

Yesterday we read the story of Andrew Carnegie. Here is some more information about him. I tried to put everything interesting I could find on the internet about this man.

I hope this information will help you learn more about the one of the richest people of the world of his time, a captain of steel industry and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. I hope you enjoy videos and old pictures.

After you finish reading this post, please, write a brief story about Andrew Carnegie and post it in your blogs. Those who don't have blogs can write their stories as comments after this post. Don't forget to write your name after the story.

Irena,

Here is a very short presentation about Carnegie. Please, watch it.

One of the captains of industry of 19th century America, Andrew Carnegie helped build the American steel industry, a process that turned a poor young man into one of the richest entrepreneurs of his age. Later in his life, Carnegie sold his steel business and systematically gave his collected fortune away to cultural, educational and scientific institutions for "the improvement of mankind."

(Carnegie's birthplace)

The Carnegie family shared the top floor of this cottage with another family.

Andrew Carnegie, the son of a hand-loom weaver, was born in Scotland, on 25th November, 1835. The family had a long radical tradition and his father, William Carnegie, was an active Chartist.

Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1850. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labor movement in the world.

The economic depression of 1848 convinced the Carnegie family to emigrate to the United States where they joined a Scottish colony at Allegheny near Pittsburgh. Andrew began work at 14 in a local cotton factory, but continued his education by attending night school.

Later Carnegie became a messenger boy in the local Pittsburgh Telegraph Office. His abilities were noticed by Thomas A. Scott, the superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He made Carnegie his secretary. During the Civil War Scott was appointed assistant secretary of war, and he went to Washington to work as his right-hand man. Carnegie's work included organizing the military telegraph system.

After the war Carnegie became a superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Carnegie invested in several promising ventures including the Wood Ruff Sleeping Car Company and several small iron mills and factories. The most important of these was Keystone Bridge, a company which he owned a one-fifth share.

 

Carnegie made regular visits to Britain, where he observed the rapid developments in the iron industry. Carnegie realized that steel would now replace iron for the manufacture of heavy goods.

In 1870 Carnegie erected his first blast furnace. Others followed and by 1874 he opened his steel furnace at Braddock. He took several partners, including Henry Flick.

Carnegie took a keen interest in social and political issues and wrote a series of books including Round the World (1881), An American Four-in-Hand in Britain (1883) and Triumphant Democracy (1886). He praised America's educational system.

(The king of industry and once the richest man in the world, Andrew Carnegie, visits Stoke Library in 1914.)

In June, 1889, the North American Review published a book by Carnegie on what he called the Gospel of Wealth. In the article Carnegie argued that it was the duty of rich men and women to use their wealth to benefit the welfare of the community. He wrote that a "man who dies rich dies disgraced".

In 1889 Carnegie decided to allow Henry Frick to become chairman of the Carnegie Company while he moved to New York to deal with the growing importance of research and development. Carnegie also spent six months of the year in Scotland with his family.

When Frick took control the firm consisted of various mills and furnaces in the Pittsburgh area, Frick was concerned that there was no centralized management structure and so in 1892 all productive units were integrated to form the Carnegie Steel Company. Valued at $25 million it was now the largest steel company in the world.

(Andrew Carnegie with members of a French delegation visiting the New York Chamber of Commerce including Baron deConstant, left of Carnegie)

The Carnegie Steel Company continued to expand and between 1889 and 1899 annual production of steel rose from 332,111 to 2,663,412 tons, and profits increased from $2 million to $40 million. There was growing conflict between Carnegie and Henry Flick during this period. This came to a head in 1899 and Carnegie bought out Frick for $15 million.

Carnegie set up a trust fund "for the improvement of mankind." This included the building of:

- 3,000 public libraries (380 in Britain)

- The Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh 

- The Carnegie Institute of Technology 

- The Carnegie Institution of Washington for research into the natural and  

  physical sciences. 

(Letter from Andrew Carnegie - April 26, 1898: 

Andrew Carnegie Provides Grant of $210,000 to Build Andrew Carnegie Free Library Carnegie, Pennsylvania)

 

Carnegie also established the Endowment for International Peace in an effort to prevent future wars. He spent the last two decades of his life giving away the great bulk of his fortune. Major philanthropic ventures included the following: 

- Carnegie Hall, a concert hall located in New York (1892) 

- Carnegie Institution (1902) for research into American colleges and  

  universities

- Carnegie Hero Fund Commission (1904)

- Carnegie Endowment for the Advancement of Teaching (1905)

- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (1910)

- Carnegie Corporation of New York (1911)

- Funding for the establishment of more than 2,800 libraries

- Major support for Tuskegee Institute 

(Kingston Library)

Carnegie also was one of the first to call for a "league of nations" and he built a "a palace of peace" that would later evolve into the World Court. His hopes for a civilized world of peace were destroyed, though, with the onset of World War I in 1914. His wife said that with these hostilities his "heart was broken."

  

(Andrew Carnegie and Louise Carnegie, his wife)

By the time Andrew Carnegie died in August, 1919, he had given away $350,000,000. A further $125 million was placed with the Carnegie Corporation to carry on his good works. 

This is the video about one of the libraries built by A. Carnegie. 

Please, watch it.

Here is a link to an interesting site.

  

THE ANDREW CARNEGIE BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM

Kingston Museum was one hundred years old in 2004, and it celebrated throughout the year with a host of special events, activities and exhibitions.  

The Museum, which adjoins Kingston Library, is a Grade II Listed Building.  The Library was opened in May 1903 and the Museum followed just over a year later on 31st October 1904.  Both buildings owe their existence to the generosity of Andrew Carnegie, Scottish American benefactor. The total cost of the library was £8,400 of which £2,000 was originally donated by Carnegie.  A few days after he had formally opened the library, Carnegie wrote to Kingston donating the balance of the cost enabling the Borough to construct the Museum.  The original letter survives in the Borough Archives.

(Kingston Library)

There is one more video about Carnegie's biography with some old pictures.

So, that is all about this interesting person.

"The average person puts only 25% of his energy and ability into his work.

The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, 

and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%."