Early life of Rockefeller and Accomplishments
(July 8, 1839 - May 27,1937)
John Davidson Rockefeller was the In June 1870, Rockefeller formed
second of six children. standard Oil of Ohio, which rapidly
became the most profitable refiner
He was an excellent debater and
expressed himself precisely. He in Ohio.
also had a deep love of music and
dreamed of it as a possible career. By the end of the 1870’s, standard
was refining over 90% of the oil in
Early on, he displayed an the U.S. Rockefeller had already
excellent mind for numbers and
became a millionaire.
detailed accounting
In 1859, Rockefeller went into Standard oil became known as
the produce commission one of the largest shippers of oil
business with a partner,
Maurice B. Clark. and kerosene in the country
Standard Oil
Standard Oil gradually gained almost Standards Oil Trust
complete control of oil refining and CompanyThis certificate was
issued to William Rockefeller
marketing in the U.S. through horizontal
integration. for 1000 Shares
In the kerosene industry,
Standard Oil replaced the
old distribution system with
its own vertical system.
Standard Oil's business practices
created intense controversy.
Rockefeller, who had rarely
sold shares, held over 25%
of Standard’s stock at the
time of the breakup.
Issues of Rockefeller
With such an aggressive
push into the industry, the
public and the U.S.
Congress took notice of
standard and its seemingly
unstoppable march.
(Monopolistic Behavior)
The Ohio supreme Court
had deemed Standard
Oil a monopoly that
stood against the
violation of the Ohio law
Sherman Antitrust Act The Sherman
AntiTrust Act was the first Federal act
that outlawed monopolistic business
practices.
Impact of Andrew Carnegie
Today if it were not for the
philanthropy of Andrew
Carnegie and many
others, America may have
not turned out the way it is
today with all its
foundations of knowledge
and much more than
meets the eye.
Concluding his business
time and starting his
philanthropic actions like
building schools, libraries,
universities, public
buildings, and so on. He
donated over $350 million
for the benefit of America.
Carnegie- Early Life
Carnegie, Andrew was born in With the failure in scotland the He did not stop there as
Scotland November 25, 1835. entire family borrowed some he went into the steel
money and moved to America. business through
Like Rockefeller they both
started from Humble beginnings There Andrew Carnegie investment, and made it a
started off with a job in a super strong beneficial
and not from the richest of cotton mill, and eventually as foundation thanks to the
families. His father had his very he moved up in the ranks to
own loom to make clothing and Bessemer process, for not
other textile assortments, but as telegraph operator he only himself, but America
eventually became the
technology advanced his manager of the Pennsylvania as a whole.
father’s occupations became
Railroad Company.
obsolete leaving them in
poverty.
He would eventually become the largest manufacture of steel
and maker of many iron products in America. In 1901 he
would also eventually sell his company to J.P. Morgan, one
of the richest man in the world at the time, for a price of $500
million. Concluding his business time and starting his
philanthropic actions like building schools, libraries,
universities, public buildings, and so on. He donated over
$350 million for the benefit of America.t
Accomplishments of Andrew Carnegie
Helped Improve Steel Throughout his later career, he made use of his
Industry by adopting and close connections to Thomson & Scott, as he
adapting the Bessemer established businesses that supplied rails and
process to his own steel bridges to the railroad.
company to improve the
durability of the steel.
Later on they could be used
for building bridges and other
structures that required a
stronger metal of some sort.
He helped open up multiple
educational centers( schools,
libraries, etc.).
In 1864, Carnegie invested $40,000 in Carnegie worked to develop several iron
Story Farm on Oil Creek in Venango works, eventually forming The Keystone
Bridge Works and the Union Iron Works.
County, Pennsylvania.
Carnegie - Early Life
Carnegie, Andrew was born in Scotland
November 25, 1835. Like Rockefeller
they both started from Humble
beginnings and not from the richest of
families. His father had his very own
loom to make clothing and other textile
assortments, but as technology
advanced his father’s occupations
became obsolete leaving them in
poverty.
With the failure in Scotland Andrew Carnegie started off with a
the entire family borrowed job in a cotton mill, and eventually
some money and moved to
as he moved up in the ranks to
America. telegraph operator he eventually
became the manager of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Similarities
Rockefeller revolutionized the It is thanks to them that
petroleum industry, and along we have specific
with other key contemporary
industrialists such as Andrew institutions dedicated to
Carnegie, defined the structure medical research, higher
of modern philanthropy, and the education, and learning.
improvement of society
Both men although different
in field of work did greatly to
benefit society.
Rockefeller’s philanthropy as
well as Garniers’ donated large
quantities of money to the
individual areas of science,
education, and religion
although neither of them were
too religious.
Overall Analysis
Those he couldn't beat, he broke. Born poor,
Rockefeller believed his riches demonstrated God’s
endorsement. He became so powerful he could tip a
country into collapse.
Andrew Carnegie, the most contradictory of the robber
barons. He supported workers’ rights, but destroyed
unions and when he acquired the largest fortune in US
history, he tried to give it away.
WHAT TO KNOW