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The Rise of John D. Rockefeller and the Gilded Age

The 19th century marked a monumental shift in the American landscape, characterized by the emergence of industrialists, a wave of immigration, groundbreaking inventions, and the birth of a new billionaire elite. This era, known as the Gilded Age, spanned from 1870 to around 1900, named after Mark Twain's 1873 novel, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. During this period, figures known as the Robber Barons demonstrated business practices that many would find deplorable—even by the standards of their time.