John D. Rockefeller: Captain Of Industry

Throughout the late 1800s, many people grew tremendously in wealth. Most people started businesses or expanded railroads which required a lot of money. This start the idea of robber barons or captains of industry; while there were some people who would collect the money for themselves there were many people who gave back and did some great things for America. Therefore, industrialists of the 1860s-1900s were more rightly called Captains of Industry than robber barons. John D. Rockefeller, James Fisk, and Henry Flanger are some great examples of Captains of Industry.

Here is a few reasons why all four of these businessmen Andrew Carnegie, George Eastman, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan were all Captains of Industry and why they also donated millions of dollars. Here are the reasons why these 4 businessmen donated millions of dollars (Philanthropist). A reason why Eastman was a Captain of Industry was that he donated money and scholarships/internships to engineering students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A reason why Rockefeller was a Captain of Industry was that he donated to the Rockefeller’s fortune peaked in 1912 at almost $900,000,000, but by that time already gave away hundreds of millions of dollars. A reason why Morgan was a Captain of Industry was that he loaned more than 60

While there are many robber barons that have existed throughout time, one of the most famously remembered robber baron, during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, was John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller was easily one of the most influential industrialist in his time. Aside from building Standard Oil into America’s largest company, he formed what was arguably the first modern multi-national company. He was innovative with how Standard Oil was structured, leading the U.S. governments changing their corporation codes and passing anti-trust legislation. His company was purposefully named, to assure customers that the oil being purchased was professionally processed to a standard.

Rockefeller was also a widely known figure and peer if Andrew Carnegie. Rockefeller was born into a wealthy family on July 8, 1839, in Richford, New York. He grew up with a deeply religious mother, who had ingrained to him the importance of giving back. In school Rockefeller was an excellent student in the subject of math and had the ability to solve complex mathematical equations. This skill came into great use after he began his career as a bookkeeper.

He was oftentimes considered the “Man of the house” when his father would go out with no return date. His mother heavily relied on him and that gave John D. Rockefeller a strong sense of duty and responsibility. The family later moved in 1849, near Owego, New York. John attended Owego Academy where he learned to write essays and give speeches. The family once again moved to Ohio but this time John’s father “Big Bill” started gaining popularity as a cancer specialist who could cure cancer with his bottle cures he sold for as much as 25 dollars per bottle.

Was John D. Rockefeller a robber baron? I’d say so. Through ruthless business tactics and exploitation of workers, he made a fortune in his lifetime. In this paper, I’m going to be talking about said business tactics and exploitation. If you believe Rockefeller was just a good business man who donated to the poor, I hope your view will be changed by the end.

During the Gilded Age america’s industry economy exploded generating opportunities for individuals but also leaving many farmers and workers struggling. Industrial leaders such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller revolutionized business and ushered in the modern corporate economy, but

After the Civil War, the Second Industrial Revolution was established due to America’s rapid growth for industry and economics. Capitalists during the industrial period of 1875-1900’s were either accused of being a robber baron or a captain of industry. Some capitalists leaders who were accused of being a robber baron or captain of industry included J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, Andrew W. Mellon, and John D. Rockefeller. A robber baron is a business leader who gets rich through cruel and scandalous business practices. The captains of industry is a business leader who wants to better the companies in a way that it would be positively contributing to the country.

Rockefeller has made an impact on the industrial revolution by changing and monopolizing the oil industry to bigger and better ideas. His funding to major organizations and schools, and motivation towards younger generations to push forward with his

During the late 19th century, there was a growth in industrialization. This brought new opportunities for the poor and the rich. For example, Carnegie helped build the steel industry in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, which made him one of the richest man in the world. As Carnegie gained more wealth, he questioned who money should be given to. Carnegie was both a Robber Baron and a Captain of Industry.

John D. Rockefeller gave away $540 million dollars before his death at the age of 97. With this money he created two, of the world's greatest research companies and helped pull the American South out of poverty. Without Rockefeller’s gracious donations to our country through education, medical, and donations to help our country, he most definitely was a Captain of Industry which helped our country get to where we are today. Captain of Industry is a fancy term of saying that this person has helped our country thrive and get to where we are today. John D. Rockefeller is a prime example of a great leader and a captain of industry, without him we would not have the successful oil business we have today.

Robber barons, specifically Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist and John D. Rockefeller, a philanthropist, were the chosen, elite members of society according to the doctrine of Social Darwinism. Darwinism is when evolution occurs and the strongest organisms of an ecosystem survive and reproduce to outnumber the weaker, less fit organisms of an ecosystem. Similarly Social Darwinism follows the same concept, but in a capitalist sense of thought. Those who were able to exploit the Gilded Age’s laissez faire economy to their own benefit, like the robber barons Andrew Carnegie of Carnegie Steel and J. D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil, were the fittest members of society because they were able to survive in the grueling and ruthless free economy. By usurping all of the fresh yet unfit immigrants that were flowing into the States due to the rise of urbanization, these two men integrated these easily-manipulated people into their factories to augment their profits.

George Eastman, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan were Captains of Industry. One reason these four men were Captains of Industry was that they all donated millions of dollars a lot of different charities. They were called philanthropists because they donated a lot of money to help people. George Eastman gave generously to the Eastman School of Music. Her also gave money for scholarships, and internships to engineering students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The purpose of this essay is to compare a modern day industrialist to an industrialist from the gilded age. Both Bill Gates and John D. Rockefeller are famous for being hugely successful entrepreneurs who changed their particular industries. Rockefeller is known as one of the richest people in history, he is well-known for his work in the oil industry, and Gates is best known for co-founding Microsoft and starting the personal computer era. Microsoft is a corporation that produces operating systems and computer hardware that Gates created with his partner Paul Allen. John D. Rockefeller became the world’s first billionaire after founding his company Standard Oil in 1863.

Eastman, Morgan, Rockefeller and Carnegie were overall Captains of Industries. Even though they treated their workers poorly they all donated lots of money to churches, schools and many more places. But most importantly they made big impacts on the society. They were all innovations, innovations are the creating of a new idea, method or product. Some evidence from the article and websites we read are Eastman developed film (article).