Entrepreneurs in the 1800’s - Rockefeller & Carnegie

 Entrepreneurs in the 1800’s

Ever since the United States was founded, people have always worked hard to make business processes and daily lives easier and more efficient. During the 1800’s there was no exception. In fact, many big time entrepreneurs including Rockefeller, Carnegie, and others were able to put efficiency and success to a whole new level. The techniques they used were able to put their businesses on the top, and soon create some of the most successful businesses in America’s history. All of these men had one thing in common through their work as entrepreneurs, and that was their ability to take unique paths to success. Looking back on these revolutionary business techniques is able to help historians understand the economy of the 1800’s as well as how their unique paths lead to our business techniques to this day.

            The first skill the big time entrepreneurs shared was the ability to find and revolutionize the needs of our country. For example, as the country was expanding the increase in steel usage and oil, both Carnegie and Rockefeller realized how necessary it was to take on the challenge of producing better ways to fit the growing demand. As we see, looking back at the success of their corporations, they were able to do just this. Through their years as businessmen each of them were able to control the main oil and steel productions, and with it make millions of dollars. The rich men were smart in that they were able to locate a major need in our country, and once fulfilling it, build extremely strong businesses.

            The big time entrepreneurs also used extremely well thought out business tactics to put their company on the top of the economy. Some of the ways they did this was through vertical and horizontal integration, and trusts. Not only were these techniques able to make their process extremely efficient, but also put them in position to knock out competing businesses as well. Carnegie in particular was able to incorporate vertical and horizontal integration very well. The vertical integration work Carnegie did made his steel company grow more efficient which helped him raise profits significantly. First he created many sub-divisions of his business that were all needed for the process of making steel. Once he had these, he was able to produce massive quantities of steel at a faster rate and smaller cost. His ability to lower prices drove competing businesses bankrupt. He also used horizontal integration to remove competing businessmen by adding them into his ever growing steel company. These moves gave Carnegie a major boost above competitors. Like Carnegie, Rockefeller also had some tricks to help his oil company blossom. One huge business move on his part was the creation of his Standard Oil Trust. The trust he created was able to control almost all oil production, and drive out competing companies. Once a monopoly was put into place, Rockefeller used his trust to become an extremely wealthy man. 

The third way many business people were able to grow during the 1800’s was through innovation. Just like all moments in history, innovation is sometimes the best way to move ahead. The products that came out in the 19^th century made life simpler and more efficient. From the railroads to the telephone, inventions that revolutionized the early American industries played a big part in forming some of the inventions of today. Once the minds of American inventers started rolling, there was no stopping their creations.

As you can see, hard work, dedication, and smart thinking were a few of the great abilities of American entrepreneurs in the 19^th century. The work of these businessmen led to huge success, especially the companies that could maximize their efficiency. Today, many businesses do their best to create similar business techniques, while staying in the bounds of the law, but very few have seen success even close to those of the businessmen of our earlier days. Its extremely fascinating looking back at the early big time businessmen and wonder how different society would be to this day had they not followed through with their business plans. It’s true the world would be an extremely different place.

War between the United States and Mexico

War between the United States and Mexico

            The history of the United States becoming the nation it is today contains thousands of heavily debated twists and turns. One big decision made in the 1800’s was the incorporation of Texas to the United States of America. Both Mexico and the U.S. debated long and hard together until Mexico finally agreed to accept the offer of annexation in 1845. Normally this would seem an extremely good thing for the nation, after all America was filled with ambitious settlers eager to explore the new land. However the events that followed this great day are also considered some of the lowest moments in American History. The following year, 1846, the United States went to war against Mexico over the dispute of where the new set boundaries would lay. Many question whether the goal of this war was focused more on gaining power and territory for the U.S. instead of clearing up disputes between the neighboring countries. To come to a conclusion whether or not the United States was justified for going to war with Mexico, an individual must decide what a just war entails and find out whether the actions America took abide by these rules.

            During Andrew Jackson’s presidency, the Texas debate already began to take place. Many people from the South were extremely fond of the possibility of the U.S. welcoming in another slave state. The one reason that Andrew Jackson always gave to avoid making deals with Mexico for Texas was because he didn’t want to start a war. It wasn’t until the very end of his presidency that Jackson finally gave Mexico the option to annex Texas to the United States. Many people were excited to gain the new land, however when James K. Polk became president some questioned whether it was really a good idea. Polk reasoned that he was attempting to protect from an attack from Mexico when he sent troops to cross the Nueces River. However the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande was heavily disputed territory. It wasn’t clear whether the land beyond the Nueces River was for the United States or Mexico. This strip of land between Mexico and the United States continued to be a topic of debate until 1846 when Polk first told Congress his decision to go to war with Mexico. To give reason to this war he stated to congress, “The Mexican Government not only refused to receive him or listen to his propositions, but after a long-continued series of menaces have at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil.” These words suggest that Mexico had already made the first attempt at war by crossing the border and attacking Americans, thus making the war against Mexico a just one. Polk goes on to say that since the United States land and people has become threatened by Mexico, he must fight back with arms. As a result to the war against Mexico, the United States gained all of California, New Mexico, as well as claim land reaching to the Rio Grande in Texas, but was this attempt to gain land just?

            Although Polk might have sounded like his call to arms made a lot of sense, there was more to the picture than he proposed. Many citizens of the states were enraged by Polk’s decision about war. Titling it “Mr. Polk’s War,” many individuals from the Whig party protested against it. Years after the war, President Lincoln gave his opinion about it. He stated that Polk’s reasoning for war was full of lies and deceits. He argued that the land Polk considered soil of the U.S. likely never was. Polk stated that previous deals made, point to the Rio Grande as the border of this purchase. However, Lincoln wisely stated in response that “if I should claim your land, by word of mouth, that certainly would not make it mine.” The idea Polk had about this land belonging to the U.S. was not quite as simple as he made it sound. The debate of whose land this really was should have been debated with Mexico not decided by Polk in front of Congress. Because of this, many people considered Polk’s decision to go to war as more of an attempt to gain territory for the United States and not looking out for the U.S. citizens. The war took the lives of more than 12,000 Americans, and this fact infuriates all those who think Polk did all this to gain power.

            Weighing both the reasons that Polk gave for going to war, and the statements Lincoln gave to disagree, leads me to believe that the war against Mexico and the United States was not a just one. In my opinion there are a certain number of things necessary when declaring a just war. First off, the opposing country would have to make the first steps towards war. In my opinion the war would only be a just one had the U.S. been acting solely in self-defense. I don’t believe that Polk followed this, however, when he started the battle against Mexico. The original reason for conflict was Polk’s attempt to push the border. Secondly the war must be to gain a greater sense of peace between the two countries. The war between Mexico and the U.S. ended with a feeling very opposite to peace. Instead, people on both sides were enraged by the war that took place due to the border conflict. Thirdly I think it’s important for both sides to only come to war as a last resort. If the problem really was about finding who really owned the land between the U.S. and Mexico, debates would have been much more appropriate than starting a war to decide on the outcome.

Because the war against Mexico goes against all three of the requirements of a just war, I have concluded that Polk was wrong to call for arms. Many things suggest that Polk was so concerned about gaining territory for the United States under his name that he forgot about how important it is to only fight for justice. Although the United States ended up gaining a lot of land because of the war, they should have pursued it in ways other than force. I think that because of the war against Mexico, however, many leaders of future years have the opportunity to learn from Polk mistakes. Because of this war, America might become a better nation assuming that our society takes the time to consider what a just war really is. If America is able to learn from this war, in the future we hopefully won’t have to lose so many lives over an unjust war. 

Abraham Lincoln - The Leader

Abraham Lincoln
The Leader

            On the fourth of July when I was about ten years old, I memorized the Gettysburg Address and recited it for a local nursing home to help spread the joys of the great day. Even today, I still remember the first few famous lines of Lincoln’s great speech at Gettysburg. It’s ironic to notice that even though Lincoln didn’t believe his words would last over a hundred years, they still ring with the same great meaning as they did when he first read them in memory of the battle at Gettysburg. His great leadership when our nation was taking on the difficult times of the Civil War will always be remembered. Through his experience before presidency, his leadership, and actions as president of the United States, he is still thought of as one of the greatest presidents ever.

            Abraham Lincoln’s road to presidency is one thing that makes him such a memorable character of our nation’s history. Although he never had the financial advantage that his opponents often had he still worked hard and became a great leader. The famous stories of his life in the one-room log cabin tell of his humble beginnings. His humble attitude towards society made it easy for him relate with the public. In future years this humble attitude likely also gave him his views about the equality that black men should have. Some other qualities Abraham Lincoln had was his great ability to communicate and debate. Part of the reason he was able to do so well against opposing democrats like Stephen Douglas was because of his quick thinking and smooth debating abilities. He knew that his work in the Whitehouse wouldn’t be easy, but still he promised the American people that upon his election he would do everything he could for the good of the nation. Looking back at his presidency its clear he did just that.

            Abraham Lincoln is also thought of today as a great leader. When he was first elected president of the United States, the nation fell apart. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas all seceded from the union and this is what Lincoln had to start with. It takes great leadership to lead a country in the first place, but even greater leadership to lead a broken nation back together. He originally did his best to compromise and solve problems offering southern states the promise of only going against the expansion of slavery not the slave states themselves. However as time went on, it became clear that something had to be done. Instead of denying the terrible situation the country was in, Lincoln accepted the facts and started the Civil War. This war was another important test to Lincoln’s leadership quality. Many important decisions were in his hands and he used his best abilities as well as resources from many other wise leaders to get the country back on its feet again. It proves how great a leader Lincoln really was when you notice that when he was first elected president the nation was broken, states were seceding from the union, and millions of blacks were enslaved, however by the end of his first term, enough people had the faith in Lincoln to elect him again for a second term. Lincoln’s leadership was an absolute necessary quality for our broken nation to get up and headed back in the right direction.

            In conclusion, it’s clear why Abraham Lincoln is remembered for his great work as president and as a great role model. The things he did could never be considered selfish or even favoring himself in the least. The battles he faced, and the states he attempted to lead together were all in attempt to build the United States as a whole. Had famous selfless people like Abraham Lincoln been more self-centered, the whole of society couldn’t have built together as strongly as it has over the years. Through Lincoln’s humble leadership our nation was able to make it through the Civil War as one union and unite under one government to this day.