Robber Barons Essay
Nguyen 1
Leslie Nguyen
Mr. Ramezane
Period 4 U.S. History
6 October 2014
Captain of Industry OR Robber Barons? During the post-Civil War period, the economy of the United States grew at a rapidly rate. The richest men in the U.S. Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould and Cornelius Vanderbilt are the people who helped with industrialization since they made steel, banks, oil, and railroads. Since they donate their money to expand markets, provide jobs and establish buildings or companies, citizens may think that these rich people are “captains of industry” who are business leaders assembling a personal fortune that contributes positively to the country in some way. However, they’re only doing it for their own benefits which make them “robber barons” (business men who used illegal business practices to become wealthy and powerful). The richest Americans control seventy five percent of the nation wealth that they are considered as “robber barons”. “Captains of Industry” shows us that these rich people use their wealth positively, but robber barons show the audience that they use their wealth for power. Workers hired by capitalists and their management organizations are treated badly. In "document A", it is a picture of a group of workers carrying a boat of money, gold and the wealthy capitalists. The picture shows that the rich capitalists made the poor workers carry them and their sources which could
Nguyen 2 lead them to injuries. These workers who are hired by the wealthy men were paid in very low wages and are forced to work in long hours. They had to work in hazardous conditions which lead to diseases. They also had children to work for them as well which is called child labor. Child labor made up over five percent of the national labor force. Because of numerous amount of labor, the number of millionaires increased from three hundred to over four thousand. Not only robber barons use their wealth for power, they also use their
Leslie Nguyen
Mr. Ramezane
Period 4 U.S. History
6 October 2014
Captain of Industry OR Robber Barons? During the post-Civil War period, the economy of the United States grew at a rapidly rate. The richest men in the U.S. Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould and Cornelius Vanderbilt are the people who helped with industrialization since they made steel, banks, oil, and railroads. Since they donate their money to expand markets, provide jobs and establish buildings or companies, citizens may think that these rich people are “captains of industry” who are business leaders assembling a personal fortune that contributes positively to the country in some way. However, they’re only doing it for their own benefits which make them “robber barons” (business men who used illegal business practices to become wealthy and powerful). The richest Americans control seventy five percent of the nation wealth that they are considered as “robber barons”. “Captains of Industry” shows us that these rich people use their wealth positively, but robber barons show the audience that they use their wealth for power. Workers hired by capitalists and their management organizations are treated badly. In "document A", it is a picture of a group of workers carrying a boat of money, gold and the wealthy capitalists. The picture shows that the rich capitalists made the poor workers carry them and their sources which could
Nguyen 2 lead them to injuries. These workers who are hired by the wealthy men were paid in very low wages and are forced to work in long hours. They had to work in hazardous conditions which lead to diseases. They also had children to work for them as well which is called child labor. Child labor made up over five percent of the national labor force. Because of numerous amount of labor, the number of millionaires increased from three hundred to over four thousand. Not only robber barons use their wealth for power, they also use their