John Paulson

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/john-paulson

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was John Paulson born?December 14, 1955
2. What is the primary role?Founder and President of Paulson & Co., a prominent investment management firm
3. What is the notable annual earnings?Achieved $4.9 billion in earnings in 2010
4. Who is John Paulson?John Paulson is a billionaire hedge fund manager who runs Paulson & Co. in New York. He is known for his smart analysis and bold investment moves.
5. What made John Paulson famous?He made a huge bet against the U.S. subprime mortgage market in 2007, predicting it would crash. His bet paid off and earned him billions of dollars.

Hedge Fund: A pooled investment fund, typically open to accredited investors, that employs diverse and often complex strategies to achieve high returns.
Subprime Mortgage Crisis: A severe financial crisis in 2007-2008 triggered by the collapse of the U.S. housing market and widespread defaults on subprime mortgages.
Credit Default Swap (CDS): A financial derivative that allows an investor to 'swap' or offset their credit risk with that of another investor, essentially acting as insurance against default.
Contrarian Investing: An investment strategy that involves buying assets that are currently out of favor or have performed poorly, with the belief that they will eventually rebound.