How Did John D. Rockefeller's Influence On American Culture

John D. Rockefeller was the founder of the Standard Oil Company and became one of the wealthiest men of his time. His company was the major leader of the oil business in the United States during his reign. Standard Oil company served as a prime example of how companies should function, which helped to guide others to follow in his footsteps. He was a major philanthropist and used his large fortune to fund many philanthropic causes. His donations helped pay for the creations of the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller University, the establishment of Central Philippine University, and many others. Many of today’s accomplishments would not have been possible without him and his actions.

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 19th century, industrialization impacted the United States in many way. Industrialists, like John D. Rockefeller, owned or were involved in management of an industry. At the time, these agents were considered a “Robber Baron,” while others were considered a “Captain of Industry.” However, many were considered good because they were philanthropists.

Walt Disney was one person who was greatly impacted by the free enterprise system, and who greatly impacted the buisness world. Ho was not only the pioneer of animation, but he has built two multi-million dollar theme parks, that many people today enjoy and come from all over the world to see. Most people think that you have to be rich and have lots of money to become an entrepenur, but many people start off with nothing at all, that was the case with Walt Disney. He started off with nothing, living out of his office and eating cold beans before he became the successful entrepeneur he is today. "if you can dream it, you can do it," was a quote Walter lived by an it must have been a big help in getting him where he needed to be, but he didn't

Eastman, Rockefeller, and Carnegie are Captains of Industry. They are Captains of Industry because they donated their money to help children. George Eastman supported dental clinics for children who couldn 't afford treatment so their teeth are more white and they will take more pictures and use his camera. Andrew Carnegie donated more than $350 million to help build over 2,500 libraries and used his steel to make them. Also, John D. Rockefeller Founded the General Education Board in 1903 and established high South by providing free professional advice. These three people helped others so they would use their inventions and make more money.

John D. Rockefeller was the richest man of his time but, used his wealth to improve our country. Rockefeller entered the fledgling Oil industry in 1863, by investing in a factory in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1870 Rockefeller established the Standard Oil Company. With the establishment of the oil company Rockefeller controlled 90% of the oil business in America by 1880. Coming with a successful business is people trying to find faults in your greatness.

Rockefeller retired from day-to-day business operations of Standard Oil in the mid-1890s. Inspired in part by fellow Gilded Age tycoon Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), who made a vast fortune in the steel industry then became a philanthropist and gave away the bulk of his money, Rockefeller donated more than half a billion dollars to various educational, religious and scientific causes. Among his activities, he funded the establishment of the University of Chicago and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (now Rockefeller

John D. Rockefeller was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was born on a farm in New York-but moved to Cleveland, Ohio during the late 1850s where he became a successful businessman. As the years went by” he began to notice the oil industry” and he became interested. He lived in Cleveland which became a regional hub

John Davison Rockefeller Sr. once stated “If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success” (John D. Rockefeller Quotes). John D. Rockefeller was the founder of Standard Oil in which then became one of the wealthiest men in the world. Rockefellers ongoing funding as a philanthropist and trust in oil is how the man's name still lives on to this day (The Rockefeller Archive Center). For thousands of years oil has been a main resource for human consumption, and remains the same. 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

As our country reached the late 1800’s, Americans found themselves face to face with era known as the ‘Gilded Age’. Companies were created and grew rapidly during this time period. Some of the most famous entrepreneurs were John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, who seemed to be the perfect models for the ‘rags to riches’ story. Many people debate which entrepreneur was a better role-model. Due to his low prices, the high demand for his products, and the way he sought to eliminate any possible competition, John D. Rockefeller is clearly the better role-model for today’s entrepreneurs.

Rockefeller was also one of the most successful wealthy Gilded Age entrepreneurs. Although Rockefeller did make a name for himself in the oil industry,supplying the U.S with oil, and creating the Standard Oil Company;his road to power was paved with the pain and suffering of others due to his malicious behavior. He should be remembered as a Robber Baron because of his attempts at monopoly, malicious behavior to those who stood in his way, and especially the treatment of his workers in order to get the wealth he desired. J.D. Rockefeller used tactics such as vertical integration, using rebates to transport his oil for cheaper prices, and using ruthless methods to eliminate the competition. Rockefellers ruthlessness lead him to be very successful up until his fatal encountered with Ida Tarbell. Ida Tarbell was an American muckraker(reformed American journalist)whose father had been put out of the oil business by Rockefeller. Tarbell later gained fame from exposing some of the wrongdoings J.D. Rockefeller performed. Tarbell using powerful journalism and wrote a 19-part series in McClure’s magazine brought down the Standard Oil Company’s monopoly. One could argue that Rockefeller was in fact a Captain of Industry instead of a Robber Baron. This can be argued because he did show characteristics of philanthropy by donating millions for education,charities, and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. J.D. Rockefeller was another very wealthy Gilded Age businessman. He

Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Elias and Flora Disney. He had four other siblings. They later moved to Marceline, Missouri in 1906. Walt at the age of only nine years old, had to get up at 3:30 am every day a week to fold and deliver newspaper for two hours. After delivering newspapers, he would go to grammar school. Even with all the responsibilities, Walt did not let it keep him from pursuing his dreams of drawing and doing art.

These men were captains of industry because they all donated money. One way Rockefeller bestowed a portion of his money away was by giving “millions of dollars to a variety of causes.” In the reading it quotes, “In 1919 Rockefeller donated $50,000,000 to the Board to raise academic Salaries.” This quote demonstrates that John D. Rockefeller was not an awful guy and cared for other people. In addition, it later says in the reading it that he also donated money for religion and medical purposes. Another piece of evidence that shows these men are Captain of Industry was in the Eastman reading when it states, “He supported dental clinics for children who could not afford treatment.” Instead of keeping the money for himself to produce extra money, he decided to donate it to the unfortunate who couldn’t afford to receive treatments from dental clinics.

Born in Richford, New York in 1839, John Davison Rockefeller was the second child of his parents and had five siblings. He did not have an easy and wealthy childhood as his father was a part-time salesman and a full-time philanderer. Therefore, his mother always struggled hard for their livelihood and her first son had to stay away from his family to make more money for lengthy periods.

To start off the owner and founder of the company and theme parks, Walt Disney was born the fourth of five children to a poor family who owned a farm in Marceline, Missouri (Nix). It was in this small town that he was encouraged to pursue his interest in drawing from his aunt and his neighbor. But due to his family’s poverty his father had to sell the farm and relocated the family to Kansas City (Nix). Due to several circumstances Walt’s father sold his newspaper route in Kansas and moved to Chicago to work in a jelly and fruit juice company. It is here that Walt dropped out of high school at age 16 because he drew constantly and did not pay attention in class. He proceeded to forge his birth certificate in order to join the Red Cross Ambulance Corps during World War I (Nix). After the war Disney found work creating advertisements for magazines and movie theaters (Hongmei). During this job he began to be interested in animations and opened a film studio in 1922, but due to financial reasons, it shut down shortly