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

Influential Americans The United States has been molded and shaped by the citizens who have built up wealth and have used capitalism to get ahead and spread their influence. Their impacts can be felt today and show that one person can change the country and make positive strides to creating a better world. When it comes to individuals who influenced the American identity, Walt Disney, John D. Rockefeller, and Bill Gates all made America what it is today. These great men all blazed their own trails and built up some of the most successful businesses in American history. Through hard work and perseverance, Disney created one of the most revolutionary entertainment companies in history; Gates gave everyday Americans the power of the computer;

Rockefeller was an American businessman and philanthropist who transformed many fields in the US and created multiple corporations. Rockefeller was born in 1839 in New York to Bill Rockefeller and Eliza Davison. His family was the average family of the time and did not have huge sums of money saved up. Rockefeller knew that he wanted to be successful and at a young age set goals for himself. He worked at a bookstore from a young age and got his sense of work ethic early. In the year 1870, Rockefeller and partner Maurice Clark started the Standard Oil Corporation in Ohio. The company quickly took off and became the most profitably refinery in the northwest. With the success of the company, he then started to buy other refiners and oil businesses in the Ohio area. Rockefeller expanded his horizons buy outdoing most of the competition and buying them out. Rockefeller set up a monopoly in the American oil trade and was in control of most of the industry. For a time, Rockefeller was described as the Emperor of industrial America because of his unrivaled control and ownership of industry. This was due to the fierce and aggressive business strategies that Rockefeller had developed. After he gained fame and a wealth that would be around 336 billion dollars when adjusted for inflation, more than any other figure in history, he founded the University of Chicago and Rockefeller University along with donating some to charity. John Rockefeller changed the way Americans go about

Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. From a young age he loved to draw and read many cartoons in the local newspaper. Disney and his brother Roy moved to Hollywood and founded the Disney Brothers Studio in the 1920’s. During this time he created many lovable characters and of course everyone’s favorite, Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney revolutionized animation and cartoon movie making. He created classic movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dumbo. Over his career in animation, Disney won twenty-two Academy Awards and four Emmy Awards along with other accolades. In 1955, Disney took his company in a different direction and founded the Walt Disneyland theme park. This would go on to be a very good decision as the park made lots of money and the company spread to Florida where it created Disneyworld. The design of the parks transformed how theme parks would be set up for years to come. Disney became a legend for his leaps and influences in animated movies and for his success in the theme park industry. Walt Disney and his company are true American icons and show what hard work and smart business can