Because they exploited ruthless tactics to destroy competition, create monopolies, and corrupt the free enterprise system, the industrial leaders of the late 19th century were called robber barons. Men such as Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Vanderbilt were the kings of American industry and American society during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Enforcing harsh rules, ordering long work hours, and placing their workers in dangerous environments, these men were the pirates of industry.
During the post-Civil War era America became the richest industrial nation in the world. The country was a tre…
