Question

“The bees of a hive do not destroy the honey-making bees, but the drones. It will be a great mistake for the community to shoot the millionaires, for they are the bees that make the most honey, and contribute most to the hive even after they have gorged themselves full. It is a remarkable fact that any country is prosperous and comfortable in proportion to the number of its millionaires. . . .” - Andrew Carnegie, 1907

What year was this document written? What is the historical situation or context in which the source was written?

“Historical context” is asking you to explain the political, social, economic, and/or cultural actions/events of a time period and how those factors connect to the meaning/purpose/message of the primary source. In simpler terms: what was going on in the United States when the primary source was written?

Answer 1

The primary source, Wealth and Its Uses by Andrew Carnegie, was written in 1889. At this time, the United States was going through an era of significant economic growth. This was due in part to the country's industrialization, which had led to an increase in manufacturing and production. Along with this growth, there was also an increase in the number of people who were becoming wealthy.