Robber Baron or Capitian of Industry?

The class started a new lesson called Carnegie and Rockefeller. For this lesson the teacher assigned the students to come up with an essential question. As a class, students watched a series of short video clips on The business of America.  As students watched the videos, they took notes in small I digital group google docs. Students then chose to read primary documents and take notes in those groups. As a class they came together and decided on the essential question, "Should Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller be classified as robber barons or captains of industry".

Robber Barons was a term used in the 19th century to describe the industrialist that would  describe a leader who had a personal fortune the positively contributed to the country. Robber barons were seen as corrupt, cruel, and sportsmanship-like. They bribed government officials, hired personal army's, treated workers poorly, and destroyed rival business. Although they had many bad characteristics they advanced the U.S. by moving forward American output but not by modern day standards. Captains of industry appeared during the time of intense economic and industrial growth after the American Civil War during the 19th century. They were very successful who created successful American companies. They were compassionate and serious about their job and their job usually had an important impact on the country.

Andrew Carnegie was considered captains of industry because he donated towards the New York Public library. He also was a steel tycoon. He published an article in 1889 called "Gospel of Wealth"  to exhaustive philosophy of social Darwinism. However, he was also considered a robber barons because he was influential on starting employees working up to 72 hours a week in harsh conditions and paying them low wages.

http://www.slideshare.net/bright9977/life-of-andrew-Carnegie

John D. Rockefeller was also considered both captains of industry and robber barons. Rockefeller was a prime leader of the Standard Oil Company which was the first great U.S. business trust. He was a notable philanthropist who donated millions of dollars to help education and found public library. He was considered robber barons because he paid his workers very low wages. He demanded rebates from the railroads. These methods were used to to reduce the price to his consumers. He also compelled  smaller companies to acquiescence their stock to his control.

http://www.boreme.com/posting.php?id=37986#.VYHwYX8o6Uk

In today's world robber barons and captains of industry still exist. A current example of Robber baron company is the iphone company. Although is very helpful and has positively contributed back to society, they run sweatshops that are in terrible conditions. The workers in the sweatshops work long hours and do not pay them on fair wages. On the other hand, the apple company could be considered captains of industry because it often gives back to the community. Just recently, they donated 50 million dollars to Stanford University hospitals. I think that all company founders can be considered both robber barons and captains of industry because sometime they have bad techniques that could achieve great things.

http://www.valuewalk.com/2014/01/apple-inc-aapls-india-strategy/