Preview

Robber Barons Role Of Capitalists Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
455 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Robber Barons Role Of Capitalists Essay
Are Robber Barons a plus or a minus to the world back during the 1800’s? The Robber Barons used cartels, monopolies, and trusts to put themselves above everybody else. Immigrants coming in to the states were almost immediately thrown into jobs, but also could be let go at a moment’s notice. These Elitists made employees work harder as they sought ways to pay them less. Because they ascribed to the theory of Social Darwinism, if they thought an employee was weak or could not keep up they would simply fire them. After getting rid of an employee they had little cause for concern. These “Fat Cats” could just choose another immigrant from the thousands that were coming into the states to work.
Robber Barons began around the industrial revolution time period in the United States. Through the 1800's Robber Barons changed American lives for good. They started things like social and economic changes. These changes led to rebellious acts such as riots, strikes, and the birth of the unions. Robber Barons changed the lives of americans forever by taking over huge businesses and running them there way.
Robber Barons generated power and wealth during the industrial and economic progress followed by the American Civil
…show more content…

Robber Barons did give jobs to those who were in serious need of them. No matter who it was they had a chance to work and prove themselves. If they showed great commitment and strength they got to stay and work. For them that was a huge opportunity because even if it was little, making money was all they wanted. It was very tough for them to keep their jobs due to how religiously they fired people. Robber Barons did make life tough on many americans, but also gave hope to those who would like to prove themselves in the work force. Men often are very prideful and feel like they need to provide for their families on their own and this gave them that

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the nineteenth century, there were two industrialists and one of them was the Captain of Industry. But, we’re going to focus on the Robber Baron, they’re known more for their dirty work. Some examples are bad political practices, business reforms, and treated their workers poorly in terms of labor. Many people don’t know what these industrialist did to the public to gain their wealth, but now you’ll know the bitter truth.…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    HIS17B Chap11 Summary

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Chapter 11, “Rober Barons and Rebels” details events occurring in 1877 and beyond. The opening of the West allowed for the development of a new type of American- “Robber Baron”. Also, labor was compensated depending on race, sex, nationality, and social class. Steam and electricity took the place of employment and increased effectively. There are many new inventions like ice industry, telephone for instance. Adding machine approved food industry and other companies to broaden appropriate. During this time, railroad became a big industry although it cost many workers because of being killed or injured. Between 1860 and 1910, also, the U.S. Army eliminated Indian from Great Plains, leave the area for building railroad. Through many inventions, some organizer of businesses became wealthy such as J.P Morgan, John D. Rockerfeller, Andrew Carnegie and so on. In addition, the oil company under Rockerfeller multiplied. Andrew Carnegie became millionaires through steel and has since expanded the Bessemer process. Next, he sold his company to J.P. Morgan, and Morgan established the U.S. Steel Corporation to create new monopoly.…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The industrial capitalists of the late 19th century should be regarded “Robber Barons” for many reasons. One example was with religious places. Money corrupts anyone. Many people think that if they had that much power or money, then they’d only do good with it, and help everyone, but in the end, it corrupts them all. It’s human nature to want power and money and humans do what it takes to do so.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    This chapter went of many different things in a short amount of time. It delves into the time after the war to the full scale industrial revolution and the rise of the Robber Barons. Zinn also spares no expense when he expresses his opinion of the Barons. He also shows the effects that the Industrial Revolution had on the lives of the American people back then.…

    • 227 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gullman Strike DBQ

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Large businesses would buy out smaller businesses and become even more wealthy and powerful by doing so. This proved to be a drain on the economy. With all competition eliminated, corporations were free to raise prices of their products as far as they wished, and people were forced but, because there were no other options. This served in stretching the gap between poor and rich, much, much wider. As grim as this period may seem, it was not only characterized by people and corporations like the ones mentioned above. Instead of using their wealth or power to gain more, many started to dedicate themselves to philanthropy, especially in the case of Andrew Carnegie who believed that it was the ultimate duty of the rich to give money to the poor and allow them resources that they previously were unable to have, as stated in his article The Gospel of Wealth. (Document E) Carnegie, a billionaire, went on to establish several libraries, schools, colleges, music venues and many other public…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In a sense, Vanderbilt and Rockefeller are captains of the industry but only by using a capitalist approach with intensive labor. Using false hopes for the immigrants that wanted a better life. Feeding them lies and poor wages which explains their robber baron intent. These men upon lucky made their wealth. The fact is that these millionaires trapped people into the notion that American dream to work hard and you too can obtain wealth. Understanding that social Darwinism implements the survival of the fittest in social and political stance is basically a one-way streak. People who have the right upbringings and domination over the lower class. Economic divisions are mostly important to wealth and inherited wealth they don’t want to be in the…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During this “Gilded Age” business men have been creating large business organizations known as trusts, this ingenuity of these entrepreneurs has been earning them the title “Captains of Industry” yet their ruthlessness in the building of their industries and wealth at the expense of their competitors has been earning some of these men the title of “Robber Barons”. I personally believe that these business men have negatively affected the people around them, making them titled as “Robber Barons”. I chose to talk about documents A, D, & E because they show /describe the “Robber Barons” the best.…

    • 411 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    History Dbq 2012

    • 1940 Words
    • 8 Pages

    While the initial stages of big business trace back to pre-Civil War America, it was not until the post-Civil War time period that large corporations effected on American society. From Rockefeller to Vanderbilt to Carnegie and all in between, these men and their businesses had unprecedented influence on American life. John Rockefeller created the Standard Oil Trust, with the intention of his business, Standard Oil Company, becoming the oil monopoly; short after, The Homestead Strike against Carnegie Steel aroused massive public support for unions. Likewise, big businesses’ growth and influences brought about a decline in the cost of living and the birth of a new political party. As a whole, the rise of big business in post-Civil War America caused a downward economic spiral while simultaneously increasing American hostility toward government and corporations, ultimately leading to the birth of new political and philosophical movements.…

    • 1940 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    But What carnegie, rockefeller, and morgan did was they made libraries and hospitals. If you think about the immigrants and the natives are all illiterate to by building these library it was not to give better opportunities to the immigrants it was to put their names on another building. I think that it is a nasty circle of corruption because the robber barons would work these people day and night and choose to make things like hospitals which because they are on such low wages and don’t get reimbursement for injuries suffered at the job they could never afford to get them medical care. So all the “ good things” that these robber barons built they were just another building to put there name…

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    At the end of the Civil War in 1865, America found itself in a state of economic chaos. As it experienced a second Industrial Revolution after the Civil War, the United States emerged as an industrial colossus and world power. While capitalists undeniably facilitated America’s industrial and economic development between 1875 and 1900, the intention with which they did so has been a topic of dispute. While some historians described these capitalists as “captains of industry” others believed they were better described as “robber barons”. Of these two characterizations, the title of “robber barons” was more appropriate as most of them gained their wealth and power by fraudulent means — defying government regulation, using ruthless business schemes…

    • 881 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    While Carnegie and others tried to become philanthropist their money only went to things that most people wouldn't use until now. So, I say yes this period was ruled by robber barons who continually kicked the poor while they were down then…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They created so many job opportunities, built industries that benefited the whole country and gave away much of their hard earned money. Capitalists of the nineteenth century may have been considered robber barons but they were for the most part captains of industry. The American Industrial Revolution fundamentally changed politics, society, and the economy. Factory workers and consumerism had changed immensely in the Gilded Age; about 400,000 patents were made between 1875 and 1900 which signifies the departure of farming to the vast significance of industries. Trade Unions became an immense part in Urban communities since the people longed for shorter hours and higher pay rates.…

    • 1694 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Gilded Age Dbq Analysis

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Emerging from the shadows of the Civil War prosperous, many ‘shoddy millionaires’ profited through schemeful enterprising, cheating the US government of millions of dollars. Unlike true patriots, such profiteers furnished union soldiers with ‘shoddy’ rather than virgin wool, and sold the United States government cardboard soles of shoes rendering many Union soldiers ill-equipped during the Civil War. In the context of capitalism, these so called titans of industry grew more and more affluent, exploiting the American worker in order to reap the fruitful rewards of exploitative, monopolistic enterprise. Consequently, the ‘Gilded Age’ ensued, its name inspired by the delicate mask of…

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Clearly, the southern Great Planters did not have to work to gain authority and power—wealth was the key that made this possible. Similarly, the northern middle-class was able to prosper and propel themselves forward because having some money could help bring in more of it (through smart investments), and gave these people social and political leverage. Even the political changes in the 18th century made it easier for the elites and middle-classes to succeed politically—as England could not control the local governments and assemblies of the colonies. Thus, the trend in which wealth brought social authority and eventually political power to individuals was integral, as it exemplified how wealth ran society across the…

    • 982 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Industrial Tycoons

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The term Robber Baron describes a leader that obtained their fortune by stealing from the public. Robber Barons drove their competitors to ruins to find their way to the top of the industry. They didn't only want to be the top competitor; they wanted to be the only competitor. So whatever they could do to take them down they did. They were American industrialists or financial magnates of the late 19th century who became wealthy by unethical means, such as questionable stock-market operations and exploitations of labor. To be a Captain of Industry means to be a business leader whose means of gathering a personal fortune contributes positively to the country in some way. This may have been through increased productivity, expansion of markets, or providing more jobs. Captains of Industry were more likely to be trusted than robber barons. Workers were treated better, paid better, and worked in better conditions.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays