<p>Explore the Captivating Life of P.T. Barnum<br> <br>He wasn't always the Great Showman. In fact, Phineas Taylor Barnum grew up in relative poverty with only his wits to help him along. When his father died, the fifteen-year-old boy entered the working world as a shopkeeper's assistant. In leaps and bounds, he worked his way from assistant to shop owner, lottery office owner, and eventually, entertainment promoter. The bulk of his car...