Thursday December 10, 2015

Rise of Industrial America: Corporations & Conflict

Tasks: 

• Review: 
• Why did corporations rise?  Identify the reasons why corporations grow in size and strength after the Civil War.
• How did industrial leaders consolidate their power?  List the different management structures that emerge.
• Shift focus to question: How did industrialists reshape society? 
• The beliefs and actions of the industrial leaders were seen as controversial.  Some people were in awe of their ability to create new opportunity for all Americans, while other Americans were disgusted with their incredible wealth.  So, were these men "Captains of Industry" or "Robber Barons"?
• Choose one man, and watch a short video about his actions.
• Men Who Built America: Carnegie
• Men Who Built America: Vanderbilt
• Men Who Built America: Rockefeller
• Men Who Built America: Morgan
• Consider these questions as you view: 
• How did he acquire a wealth
  How he (and his related staff) treat workers
  How he spent his money
  How he donated his money
• Debrief in small group: Were these men "Captains of Industry" or "Robber Barons"?
• Assign: How did the rise of big business impact the economy and politics?  Use Howard Zinn's chapter "Robber Barons and Rebels" p. 253 - 262 to answer the question.