On Steamboat Pioneer, Robert Fulton

The man was a genius. We learned this from history books. But what these same history books frequently leave out is the fact that Fulton was also a) a crony capitalist who received government handouts, b) granted a monopoly for Hudson River steam travel, and c) a fellow who eventually went bankrupt (Vanderbilt - who challenged that monopoly and won - kicked his ass up and down that river)....Hm, could it be that these leftist historians simply prefer losers (and especially if they're government darlings)?