John D. Rockefeller And The Gilded Age - 1697 Words

During the Gilded Age, the United States saw an increase in the power of big businesses, many of which monopolized their industries. This time period, although it appeared successful from the outside, was filled with governmental corruption. Manipulated by the robber barons of the Gilded Age, the United States government fell victim to their control. Contrary to this downfall, the nation celebrated much success in the numerous life-changing inventions attributed to this era. With the invention of the internal combustion engine, among others, there also came a major increase in the demand for oil. Entering the flourishing oil business in 1870, John D. Rockefeller created the Standard Oil Company, which later dominated the entire oil industry. Although he had years filled with success in the business, Rockefeller faced a disastrous court case that dissolved his company and years of his hard work. Despite this catastrophic event, Rockefeller found other ways to contribute his knowledge and hard-work by making innumerable philanthropic donations. After many years and countless efforts, John D. Rockefeller had one of the most outstanding and positive influences on the United States through his work in the oil industry and his philanthropic actions. Rockefeller’s childhood helped mold him into the man he became. He was born in Richford, New York to Eliza Davison Rockefeller and William Avery Rockefeller Sr., a traveling salesman. Being the second of six children, Rockefeller wasShow MoreRelatedJohn D. Rockefeller : The Gilded Age Of The Gilded Age741 Words   |  3 PagesFollowing years of reconstruction, the U.S. entered a new age. For this new age, Mark Twain named it after the â€Å"glittering† surface of the time that covered vast corruption underneath. The late 19th century would be called the Gilded Age (Houston). From this Gilded Age, a powerful businessman emerged. John D. Rockefeller ruled the oil industry as king. Using his incredible knowledge of business, he rose up through the age to become one of the most influential businessmen in history. Amidst the 1880sRead MoreEssay about Big Business In The Gilded Age1028 Words   |  5 Pages20th century, dubbed the Gilded Age by writer Mark Twain, was a time of great growth and change in every aspect of the United States, and even more so for big business. It was this age that gave birth to many of the important modern business practices we take for granted today, and those in charge of business at the time were considered revolutionaries, whether it was for the good of the people or the good of themselves. The exact period of time in which the Gilded Age occurred is ever-debatableRead MoreThe Gilded Age And The Age Of Information1422 Words   |  6 PagesThe term the â€Å"Gilded Age† was coined by Mark Twain. â€Å"By this, he meant that the period was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath.† With its period of extreme economic growth, there was tremendous wealth, but only for the wealthy. The â€Å"Second Gilded Age,† which some say was brought on as the Information Age, brings a level of inequality to America that has never been seen before. Experts believe that this shift could kill the American dream. The Gilded Age and the Age of Information areRead More The Gilded Age Essays1610 Words   |  7 Pages When you are young and even well into your adult years people will tell you there will always be somebody who is smarter, faster, happier, or better at something than you are. This is true for all periods of time but in the Gilded Age those who were better gained more and more crushing the people below them with unprecedented greed, corruption, and power. The few exploited the many by way of opportunity. Something our nation was built on, yet the avaricious elite used it for evil methods. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;InRead MoreJohn D. Rockefeller, Sr.2537 Words   |  11 Pages$340 billion. This amount, according to Forbes’s website, is John D. Rockefeller, Sr.’s net wealth in today’s dollars. Mr. Rockefeller built his fortune through the oil industry. He founded the Standard Oil Company, which owned about 90% of American refineries and pipelines. Although John D. Rockefeller, Sr. is arguably the richest man in United States history, he was also a deeply despised man. According to PBS’s video on the Rockefellers, he kept a revolver near his bedside because of death and kidnappingRead MoreThe Gilded Age By Mark Twain1217 Words   |  5 PagesCoined the term the â€Å"Gilded Age, this time period of 1870-1900 was first referred to as this title by a book written by Mark Twain. In respect to the United States during this time, it refers to the overall appearance of the US to appear as if saturated in gold and opulence, otherwise known as a lan d of dreams. However, this was not the case because underneath this initial viewpoint, there was poverty and injustice that lined the streets of every urban city. Throughout this time period, many factorsRead MoreThe Vibrant and Unpredictable Era of the Gilded Age1050 Words   |  4 PagesThe Gilded Age was one of the most vibrant and unpredictable eras in the history of America. It brought about a new wave of industrial and economic opportunities that allowed some to build massive businesses and fortunes, while other lower and middle class citizens struggled to survive. Some would go as far to say it created a war between the classes across American societies. Giants of industry, such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, revolutionized how big business led to the riseRead MoreJohn D. Rockefeller Essay1578 Words   |  7 Pagessince it began. Credit for its strength and progress in development can be attributed to the financial geniuses of their time. John D. Rockefelle r became an economical giant during his time when he changed the face of business by developing ground-breaking new strategies to ensure financial success. Rockefeller dramatically changed the business field during The Gilded Age. He did so through the use of his social Darwinistic philosophy of capitalism, inclusion of vertical and horizontal integrationRead MoreThe Legacy Of John Davison Rockefeller1656 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Davison Rockefeller was one of the captains of industry during the gilded age, and is most known for his numerous philanthropies in his later years; however, most people are unaware of his exploitation of America’s free capitalistic enterprise to amass a fortune, the likes of which this country had never seen before. Rockefeller’s company, Standard Oil, helped America explode as an industrial superpower on the world stage and, in the process, allowed Rockefeller to amass a billion dollar fortuneRead MoreThe Gilded Age : The Gilded Age915 Wor ds   |  4 PagesThe Gilded Age, was a brief period in American history, from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s, where there was a rapid economic growth as the industry expanded, generating groundbreaking opportunities for individuals. At its triumph peak, society was perceived from the outside that the new era of Americans was prosperous, however, conspicuous consumption and luxury masked corruption and the fact that a majority of people were suffering. Like gilded gold, the outside looks exemplary, but much like