Essay Robber Barons in America

While they were only getting richer with their corrupt methods, the poorer classes were getting poorer because of the money they spent on the capitalists’ goods. In “The Robber Barons of Today, 1889”, the robber barons are seen with their “knightly” attire while the poor pay “tribute” to them. (Doc D) It represents the poor paying the “amazing” capitalists and being subservient for the goods they need. Also, in Henry George’s Progress and Poverty, 1879, it said that the gulf between the classes is getting wider and wider. Because of the industrial tycoons taking the poor’s money, they are getting richer. They are also providing fewer jobs since the industries usually have one major company for a particular manufacturing, and so “the poorer class is becoming more dependent” on the capitalists to provide jobs and goods. (Doc A) The robber barons took the poor’s money to become wealthier and to feed their greed while worsening the gap between the social

During the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, both robber barons and captains of industry were terms used to place businessmen into a good or bad category. The term robber baron is a representation of industrialist who used manipulative methods in order to reach enormous quantities of wealth. Some characteristics of robber barons were: they depleted America of its valuable resources, forced authority to pass laws that would work in there favor, make opponents in the industry go out of business, and force laborers to work in hazardous circumstances with little pay. The term captains of industry meant the exact opposite, these businessmen did positive things in order to reach enormous quantities of wealth. Some characteristics of captains of industry were: they constructed factories to make the accessibility of goods rise, increased production, developed markets, gave to charity, and created more jobs with generous pay. While many historians believe that the industrialist of the 19th century were captains of industry there are others that would object and say that they were indeed robber barons. Would you consider the great industrialist of the 19th century to be robber barons or would you consider them as captains of the industry?

In a book published in 1991 by Burt Folsom, The Myth of the Robber Barons is essentially a book about two theories competing against one another, which is the political versus the market entrepreneurs. The book adamantly persuades the reader into believing market entrepreneurship has provided Americans with greater results versus political entrepreneurs featuring from real life scenarios to back up Mr. Folsom claims. He pointed out several market entrepreneurs in his book such as J.D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, James Hill and Charles Schwab as ones who helped changed the economic climate for Americans by providing superior and lower-cost products and/or services than its competitors. Mr. Folsom continued to shine light on several political

“Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt, also known as the founder of the New York Central Railroad System, was born on May 27th, 1794 in Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York. He was named after his father, who “...instilled in him a blunt, straightforward demeanor...” while his mother, Phoebe Hand instilled “...frugality and hard work....”. It is known that his family has roots in De Bilt, which is a town in the Netherlands.

On February 9th, 1859, editor of the New York Times, Henry Raymond, pronounced something unusual about Cornelius Vanderbilt. Raymond disliked Vanderbilt, a steamship magnate with such an extensive convoy that he was commonly known as the Commodore, the highest position in the US Navy. In the article “Your Money of Your Line,” Raymond attacked Vanderbilt for stealing a substantial monthly payment from the Pacific Mail Steamship Company which was in exchange for Vanderbilt’s preceding antagonism on the sea lanes to California. Carnegie, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Morgan fit into the concept of the Gilded Age because they all embody the ideas of robber barons or captains of industry. These individuals all helped to create the huge corporation

When the names Carnagie, Rockefeller, and Pullman come to mind, most of us automatically think of what we saw or read in our history books: "These men were kind and generous and through hard work and perseverance, any one of you could become a success story like them," right? Wrong. I am sick of these people being remembered for the two or three "good deeds" they have done. Publicity and media have exaggerated the generosity of these men, the government has spoiled these names with false lies, and people have been blind to see that these men were ruthless, sly businessmen who were motivated by your money and their struggle for power.

To what extent is it justified to characterize the industrial leaders of the 1865–1900 era as either “robber barons” or “industrial statesmen”?

Throughout American industrialization, large industries were run by some of the richest men in history. These men got the nickname “robber barons” due to their creation of large monopolies by making questionable business and government activities, and by taking advantage of their workers to succeed. But in The Myth of the Robber Barons by Burton W. Folsom, he argues against these claims, and he takes a deeper look into some of America’s richest and most successful men. By specifically looking at Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, James J. Hill, the Scranton family and many more, Folsom believed that these so-called robber barons were actually entrepreneurs with a drive to succeed, leading to an improvement in American lives.

Biography.com states, “Vanderbilt soon became known for his sharp business acumen”. Years later, other business titans also used Vanderbilts tactics such as monopolies and treacherous choices to grow their own

John D rockefeller was in the American industry of oil business and a philanthropist. He was born in Richford New York on July 8th, 1839. He had seven other siblings William, Frank, Francis, Mary Ann, Cornelia, and Lucy Rockefeller. His parents were Williams Rockefeller Sr. and Eliza Davison. His father, a con artist and mother, a very religious woman are the two people to shaped him to be how he was. They moved several times and after finally settling in Cleveland, Ohio, Rockefeller got his first job as a bookkeeper at the age of 16. Rockefeller went into a business partnership with Maurice B. Clark along with his brothers at the young age of 20. After Rockefeller bought them out, he and his brother named Williams founded Rockefeller & Andrews

Rockefeller was born on July 8, 1839, in Richford, New York. Hard working even as a child, Rockefeller earned money by raising turkeys, selling candy and doing jobs for others. In 1853, the Rockefeller family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where John attended high school. In 1855, at age 16, John found work as an office clerk at a Cleveland commission firm that bought, sold, and shipped grain, coal and other items. In 1859, Rockefeller and a partner established their own commission firm. The same year, the United State’s first oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania. In 1863, Rockefeller and many partners entered the successful new oil industry by investing in a Cleveland refinery. Over the next couple of years, Rockefeller acquired new partners and expanded his business interests in the growing oil industry. In 1870, Rockefeller formed the Standard Oil Company, along with his younger brother William, Henry Flagler, and a group of many other men. John Rockefeller was its president and

Rockefeller retired in 1896 and devoted the rest of his life to philanthropy. He put the same drive for improvement and efficiency that built Standard Oil towards charitable works. The laudable way in which he dispersed his fortune caused a crisis of conscience in a nation that had grown up hating him for the way that he built it. He gave away hundreds of millions during his declining years and, with his son's help, set up the Rockefeller Foundation to carry on his work after he

Before Standard Oil came to fruition, however, various circumstances surrounding John D. Rockefeller Sr, and his growth as a businessman took place to influence his success. Born on July 8th, 1839, to parents William Rockefeller-- a deceptive, dishonest yet charming criminal-- and Eliza Davison-- a witty and strong-willed lady-- John D. was from his very origin an unusual child, forged in the marriage between polar opposites, whom he unsurprisingly resembles. In this household Rockefeller was primarily under the jurisdiction of his mother. Eliza’s bearing in the household led to significant Baptist influence on Rockefeller’s life. His father practiced a secret bigamist lifestyle and as such was absent from the house for a great amount of time. Rockefeller lived in a few locations during boyhood, including Moravia and Owego, New York, where in 1851 he attended Owego Academy, and Strongsville, Ohio, where in 1853 he attended Cleveland’s Central High School. Because of his father’s vacancy, however, John D. was unable to continue to a full education in college as intended; he instead studied bookkeeping for three months at E.G. Folsom’s

On July 8, 1839 John D. Rockefeller was born in Richford, New York to William Rockefeller and Eliza Davison. William Rockefeller moved across parts of the world due to being a merchant. William wasn’t an ordinary work horse; he searched for ways to work around all of the challenging labor. While William was away making money, his wife Eliza had difficult times taking care of the household. Being the only man in the household, John D. Rockefeller helped his mother out by doing chores and collecting money of his own. He was not an ordinary child; Rockefeller grew a passion for numbers/accounting and debating. Eventually, in 1853 the family moved to Ohio and settled. In Cleveland, Ohio Rockefeller attended a business school and had intentions

John Rockefeller was born on July 8th 1839 from his Mother Eliza Davison and father William Rockefeller Sr. He is well known for his oil company (Standard Oil). In 1864 John married Laura Spelman they had four children three as of which were girls one boy. In 1863 he built his first oil refinery in Cleveland. John borrowed some money and started buying out his partners. He formed Standard Oil in Ohio in 1870.