Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie was a steel magnate, self-made businessman and millionaire. In 1892 the workers called a strike at his steel plant in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Carnegie and Henry Frick hired Pinkerton men to break up the strike leading to violent confrontations. He controlled most of the steel industry.

Carnegie Philanthropy Later in Carnegie’s life he wrote a book called, The Gospel of Wealth, which promoted philanthropy (wealthy citizens who donate to public good). He donated to many cities and towns for public libraries and reading education. He donated $125 million to the Carnegie foundation to help fund colleges. He donated over 90% of his lifetime wealth

John D. Rockefeller John D. Rockefeller owned Standard Oil Company. He eventually was able to control almost all of the oil business in America causing him to have a trust or a monopoly on oil business. Used shady business practices such as making deals for cheap oil for railroad companies and not paying his workers enough This was later outlawed by the Sherman Anti-Trust laws.

Before his death in 1937, Rockefeller gave away nearly half of his fortune. Churches, medical foundations, universities, and centers for the arts received hefty sums of oil money. Whether he was driven by good will, conscience, or his devout faith in God is unknown. Regardless, he became a hero to many enterprising Americans. John D. Rockefeller Philanthropy

Cornelius Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt was a railroad tycoon who owned most of the railroad and steamship industry in the 19 th century. Watch the link below: The only donation he made was in 1873, toward the end of his life, when he gave $1 million to build and endow Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. His descendents went own to continue building his empire. (Biltmore House)

The Dukes nac/hall_of_fame/james_b._duke nac/hall_of_fame/james_b._duke Click the link above to learn about how NC’s famous Duke Energy came to be and how the Dukes turn from robber barons to philanthropists.

Robber Baron: a wealthy person who tries to get land, businesses, or more money in a way that is dishonest or wrong

Robber Baron political cartoons