History Classroom: The Men Who Built America

Episode 5: A New Rival Emerges

November 9, 2012 • 41 min

While Carnegie and Rockefeller continue to battle, J.P. Morgan arrives on the scene and establishes a bank in New York City that has one goal: to further the technological advancements of America through finance. As he builds his empire and consolidates industries, Morgan decides to take a big risk. He enlists inventor Thomas Edison to help bring electricity to every home and business in the country. Rockefeller continues to expand his Standard Oil Company and aims to keep kero- sene as the dominant resource powering electricity. Regard- less of these competitive dynamics, American infrastructure is growing and cities are on the rise.