Captain of Industry or Robber Barons

Created by Beldon Kealoha with sources from theseAuthors: Christine Colihan and Amy Vitcusky

August 2006

captains of industry or robber barons.

Students will understand and learn that big business leaders of the 19th century are viewed in two ways in American society-

Benchmarks

Students will gather, examine and analyze historical data.

Students will develop and implement effective research strategies for investigating a given historical topic

Objectives

students will . . .research four big business leaders of the

late 19th century (Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan and Swift)

Determine if they are captain of industry or Robber Barons.

Reciprocal Viewing: Note taking

Summarize- Write a short summary of what you have just watched.

Question. Write a question that can be answered from the documentary

Clarifying. What idea or concept needs clarification or understanding.

Viewing video #1

SummarizeQuestionClarifying

Industrial might of America

Write a short summary of what you have just watched.

Introductory Activity

Should Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Oprah, etc. give large sums of their fortunes to charity? Is it their responsibility? Should they be forced to give their money away? Give reasons why

Activity: 1st handout, Two points of view

Henry George (social reformer) vs. Andrew Carnegie (head of Carnegie Steel) Read and analyze the different quotes from the two men and answer the questions that follow.

Output: Left side of note book. Make a list of arguments for each side.

George

Social Reformer

Carnegie

Steel magnate

•Wealth corrupts government

Handout 3: introductory activity to the next lesson: research

Historian A vs. Historian B- read two short narratives from two different historians with different interpretations of big business in the late 19th century and answer the questions that follow

iPad 2 research lesson

Researching three big business leaders: Rockefeller, JP Morgan and Swift

Research handouts with websites and biography template.

Students have one day with the iPad 2 to work on research.

Essay is due by Friday, 9/23

Businessmen of the late 19th Century

JP Morgan-◦www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/web10/

features/bio/B14.htmlRockefeller

◦http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rockefellersSwift

◦http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/prog14/transcript/page03.html