The saying that history repeats itself has been proven to be true time and time again. History seems to be doomed to repeat itself as if lessons were never learned from past mistakes. The Gilded Age is a unique period in American history that is undoubtedly repeating itself in the modern day. Corruption, unprecedented immigration, and the massing of wealth by the top 1% of the population are just a few of the things that characterize this period of American history. The same issues that plagued America over 100 years ago are re-emerging in todays’ society leading scholars to say that America has arrived in “The Second Gilded Age”. The similarities between modern day America and the Gilded Age are astounding. To understand why this is occurring
The industrial revolution brought many great inventions and innovations into the world, especially to America, the new world. The United States had many resources available and more importantly for Americans could utilize them for the nations gain. Many businessmen took advantage of this opportunity by building up their businesses and wealth to a standard that many people still look to as a standard of greatness. Many historians have their take on how the men of the industrial revolution changed not only America, but the rest of the world as well. Authors, Charles Morris, Matthew Josephson, and James Nuechterlein point out to historians that the world is full of many different angles and ideas that one can view regarding the Robber Barons or the successful men of the industrial revolution. The lifestyles of Andrew
In the past, there have been many influential economic figures in the industrial business industry. Andrew Carnegie is one of the most famous of these figures but not just in a business scheme, but also in an economic and national scheme. Andrew Carnegie is a business man that caused a major controversial issue to arise; the topic of being labeled a Robber Baron or a Captain of Industry by the public. A Robber Baron is someone who has become wealthy through heartless and unethical business actions that will only benefit the individual. On the other hand, a Captain of Industry is a business leader who has become rich by accomplishing activities that will, overall, benefit the people of the community such as expanding a market or providing more jobs. There have been many debates on which one
During the years 1880-1920 there were many issues because of urbanization and industrialization. The industrial revolution brought many new job opportunities with low wages making companies focus on women and children. These opportunities were available but at a cost, they were paid less and they were forced to work up to ten hours. The industrial giants made labor a tough and unfair lifestyle. They wanted more riches, but they were making people suffer in order to obtain the money. The progressives wanted to help relieve all these problems through a philosophy called progressivism. They managed to achieve some of their aims but not all of them.
“The best philanthropy” he wrote, is constantly in search of finalities- a search for a cause an attempt to cure evils at their source” - John D. Rockefeller
Since the creation of the U.S. two hundred and forty one years ago, one of the founding ideals of the nation is that any citizen should have the right to pursue their own dreams. For some the “American Dream” can be defined as the opportunity to gain success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie personify this concept completely, and although these men were hailed as “captains of industry,” they always hungered for more.
The Gilded Age was an era that transformed from agrarian to industrialized working/businesses and goods. The Gilded Age soon came after Reconstruction and lasted from the late 1860’s to the late 1890’s. During the Gilded Age there were many businessmen that were labeled Robber Barons or Captains of Industry based on their actions of ruthlessness and monopoly or their actions of generosity and kindness. A Robber Baron is a businessman who obtained wealth through cruel manors. A Captain of Industry is a business leader who obtained wealth through positive and generous ways that had a good impact on those around them. History should remember the entrepreneurs of the 1800’s and 1900’s as Captains of Industries or Robber Barons. These entrepreneurs
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.
It was a result of the free enterprise system that Henry Ford was able to establish his business and develop it into a successful enterprise. His success as an entrepreneur not only benefited him, but it also benefited other entrepreneurs. His leadership in this field led to the development of new concepts and ideas which were beneficial to future entrepreneurs and helped them to develop their own business ideas in order to become successful as well. Therefore, it is through the success of one entrepreneur that many others were also able to
Several industrialists had a major impact on the Gilded Age. These industrialists were Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Gram Bell.
Andrew Carnegie wa a scottish immigrant who came to the United States at age 9. Carnegie was a messenger boy and worked as a bobbin boy in a factory. Andrew also worked as the assistant to Thomas Scott, one of the railroads top officials. He buys a company and builds a sleeping car on a train. Andrew earned most of his fortune in the steel industry. In the 1870s, he founded the Carnegie steel company a ste which cemented his name as one of the “Captains of Industry.” By the 1890s the company was the largest and most profitable Industrial enterprise in the world. The homestead strike was in Homestead, Pennsylvania, pitted one of the most powerful new corporations, Carnegie steel company, against the nation's strongest trade union. Henry Clay
The book “ANDREW CARNEGIE and the Rise of Big Business” written by Harold C. Libesay, explains Andrew Carnegies life with chronological events beginning how he and his family moved from Dumferline, Scotland in November of 1835. This books thesis is on how his skills and experienced he learned before starting Carnegie Steel intersect with each other and show how he dominated the steel industry. Carnegie’s industrial career is explained in depth how he acquired the knowledge on how businesses worked, as a manager capitalist then leading into a entrepreneur. The authors purpose I believe was to show not only Carnegies life leading to just Carnegie Steel, but also how determination and hard work can help you achieve success. This book on Andrew Carnegie explains well on in detail how Carnegie’s came to create his dominating steel industry empire. I like how Carnegies relationship with people he’s worked with have impacted his life, but throughout the book even though it’s about Andrew Carnegie the author writes things excessively that sometimes don’t relate to Carnegie.
Andrew Carnegies decisions with his company, US Steel, helped him become one of the mos famous industrialists of his day. Andrew Carnegie had the ability to foresee how things could industrialize, which he used to his advantage to invest enormously in things that he saw with great potential. Carnegie also pushed for rights to help laborers unionize to help protect his laborers and to establish loyal workers that would help him succeed. Andrew Carnegie dedicated his time to the steel industry, starting a business from scratch helping him become a dominant force in the steel industry. Andrew Carnegies ability to foresee how things could be industrialized, his willingness to push for labor unions to protect his worker, and his dedication to
“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocracy no matter how impressive their other talents were.”- Andrew Carnegie
A young, 27-year-old, co-founder of the frozen smoothie kit company PACK’D, Luke Johnstone, was named young entrepreneur of the year in 2016 (“From Freezing Shed to Frozen Drinks Rise of the Smoothie Operator” par. 1). Like the Woodstock entrepreneurs, Johnstone quit his job to start his business, but he was not lucky enough for his dream to happen in just a short nine months like the other four men, his took two years of living in a shed in the back of his parents garden (“From Freezing Shed to Frozen Drinks Rise of the Smoothie Operator” par. 4). Another young entrepreneur, like the Woodstock entrepreneurs, is high school sophomore, Natalie Abbott. Abbott turned her 4-H project into her business, The West Hill Honey Company, where she sells honey and lip balm(“Chi-Hi Student Wins State Business Award” par. 1). Although Abbott is younger than the Woodstock entrepreneurs, they are alike because she did not work alone, she had help of her mother and father, just as the four men had the help of each other (“Chi-Hi Student Wins State Business Award” par. 1). Although the four men of Woodstock and today's entrepreneurs have a plethora of traits in common, a great deal of today's entrepreneurs lack one trait the four men of Woodstock do not; their business is for the money, not the