Richest Men In The Gilded Age

Wealthiest Men of the Gilded Age The American dream is the idea of prospering and achieving success through determination with the abundance of resources and opportunities provided in the United States. This idea is what every person works for in their lifetime. Three men made it very clear that the American dream was possible starting with very little. Throughout the Gilded Age in American history, Industrialists Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Cornelius Vanderbilt sought the American dream through wealth and greed by taking advantage of the workplace but also advanced society by providing opportunities.
Andrew Carnegie advanced society by giving back millions made from his hard work. He was one of the richest men of the time period thanks to the steel industry. By the time he was 83 “Carnegie donated more than $350 million dollars in his lifetime”(Graybar 421). He believed in the morale that the rich had to give back to society in order to improve society. And with these generous actions the less fortunate would have greater chances to achieve the American dream. Carnegie's success in the mass production of steel allowed him to spend, “ his fortune …show more content…
They took advantage of their workers and were these best known robber barons of the Gilded Age. The side that most people never hear about it how little their workers were paid or what conditions the workplace was in. This type of information was concealed from their biographies and is only found in minimal secondary sources to keep their reputations intact. It was not really shared with the public until after their deaths. With the abundance of money these men had they were able to bury their secrets from the press. Including how little their workers were paid and illegal business actions. Allowing them to break the rules and regulations to accomplish the American Dream by taking advantage of the workplace and their