Sunday, October 23, 2011

Robber Baron Document Rankings

Power Rank 1:  Document Number: 7
Why do you believe it best represents the era you have been studying?
This document was written by a commission in the U.S. government, and is fully supportive of ideas presented by Rockefeller. This shows that in the late 19th century, methods practiced by the Standard Oil Company and other monopolists were backed by the government.

Power Rank 2:  Document Number: 15
Why do you believe it best represents the era you have been studying?
Document 15 is a sarcastic “prayer” written from a worker to Andrew Carnegie, as if Carnegie is God and worker is just a low level human. This document shows some examples of the treatment that laborers went through at this time, and the satirical nature tells that they were unsatisfied by it.  


Power Rank 3:  Document Number: 14
Why do you believe it best represents the era you have been studying?
In document 14, Andrew Carnegie presents his view on giving aid to the poor. It shows that some “robber barons” were at times philanthropic, while at the same time presenting the idea of social Darwinism as justification for not giving TOO much to the poor.

Power Rank 4:  Document Number: 12
Why do you believe it best represents the era you have been studying?
Document 12 is a speech by Wendell Phillips in which he presents one of the more radical viewpoints of laborers, discussing such things as completely overthrowing “the whole profit-making system.” This document shows the extreme that laborers’ frustration could reach

Power Rank 5:  Document Number: 9
Why do you believe it best represents the era you have been studying?
Document 9 is an interview with the railway tycoon William H. Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt displays his total disdain for the idea that someone should work for someone else’s gain or give to anyone but themselves. He shows the quintessential view of a robber baron in this document. 

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