1. Gilded Age Philosopophies

2. Social Darwinism A powerful idea of the Gilded
Era was Social Darwinism.
In 1859, Charles Darwin argued
that plant and animal life had
evolved over the years by a
process he called natural
selection.
Social Darwinists applied this
“survival of the fittest” idea
to human behavior.
Industrialists like John D.
Rockefeller heartily embraced
the theory. Rockefeller said
the growth of huge businesses
like his own Standard Oil was
“merely the working out of the
law of nature and the law of
God.”

3. Gospel of Wealth Andrew Carnegie advocated a gentler version of Social
Darwinism that he called the
Gospel of Wealth.
This philosophy held that
wealthy Americans should
engage in philanthropy and
use their great fortunes to
create the conditions that
would help people help
themselves. Building schools
and hospitals, for example,
was better than giving
handouts to the poor.
Carnegie funded libraries all
across the nation.

4. Fond of saying that "the man who dies rich dies disgraced," Carnegie then turned his attention to giving away his fortune. He abhorred charity, and instead put his money to use helping others help themselves. That was the reason he spent much of his collected fortune on establishing over 2,500 public libraries as well as supporting institutions of higher learning. By the time Carnegie's life was over, he gave away 350 million dollars.
Andrew Carnegie

5. Robber Barons or Captains of Industry
The Rise of Big Business
Robber Barons or Captains of Industry
Carnegie once stated, “I entered this life poor and I wish to leave it the same.”
Gave away $325 million = 90% of his wealth
Carnegie Hall in NY City
Carnegie Foundation
3,000 libraries across the US

6. John D. Rockefeller Rockefeller gave away $500 million
The Rise of Big Business
John D. Rockefeller
Rockefeller gave away $500 million
Founded the University of Chicago which found cure for yellow fever
Land for United Nations

7. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt was in his 79th year when he decided to make the gift that founded Vanderbilt University in the spring of 1873.
The $1 million that he gave to endow and build the university was the commodore's only major philanthropy