During the Gilded Age, the mass accumulation of money by families like the Vanderbilts changed the economic, social, and physical landscape of the United States. The Vanderbilt family's wealth grew out of the shipping and railroad industries, both of which were largely monopolized by the the family patriarch, Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt, in the late 19th century. His hard work set the foundation for his sons and grandsons to continue making money, but their descendants became less inclined to earn and more likely to spend. To learn more about the Vanderbilts go here: https://www.ranker.com/list/how-vanderbilt-family-lost-fortune/melissa-sartore?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=weirdhistory&utm_campaign=wh_active&utm_content=%7Bdate%28%27yyyyMMdd%27%29%7D&lctg=&user_email=12a6d4d069cd56cfddaa391c24eb7042 Be sure to subscribe to the Weird History Newsletter: https://www.ranker.com/newsletters/weird-history?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=WeirdHistory&utm_campaign=WHnewsletters&utm_content=description_box #vanderbilt #fortune #weirdhistory rdhistory