Robber Barons In The 19th Century

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In the late 19th century to early 20th century the United States was in a period of rapid economic growth. The nation was also becoming more connected than ever with the completion of the transcontinental railroad. This triggered a shift from primarily localized economies, to a nationwide one. Young entrepreneurs and businessman decided to take advantage of these events. It has been argued that these men were “robber barons” who reaped massive profits at the expense of workers; however, large quantities of jobs were created and most businessmen gave away large portions of their profits to charities. These businessmen of the late 19th and early 20th century were truly captains of industry, contributing positively the nations economy, industrialization, and the overall prosperity of its citizens. To begin, these businessmen had a substantial impact on the size and prosperity of the American workforce and industries. An abundance of natural resources created a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to turn a profit. Men like Rockefeller and J.P Morgan created large industries, employing large amounts of workers. From 1860 to 1910 the number of workers employed in manufacturing skyrocketed from around one million to near nine million. The value of products being produced also rose from …show more content…
Many of the businessmen during this time period had come from poor or middle-class backgrounds. Andrew Carnegie had come from an indigent family in Scotland, and had moved to the United States in search of a better life. John Rockefeller had also started from humble beginnings. Andrew’s father had been a laborer all his life. For these reasons the majority of major businessmen during the time donated vast amounts of their wealth to charity. These businessmen not only led to prosperity for the American working class, but helped the poor rise up their ranks by generous

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