The Gilded Age was a period of American prosperity. This time period is most widely known for its numerous cultural changes happening within a short period of time. The economy had a noticeable boost, and with so, corporations were created and the Rise of Big Businesses began. Along with the rise of new businesses and major corporations, the Progressive era came, bringing a new set of mind to the people way of thinking. Alongside with these movements the Westward Movement started, with the need to gain and obtain as much property as possible. These major movements are some of the most recognized throughout American History and like every trace of history they all had a start.
The Rise of Big Businesses emerged with the American economy being at one of its highest points in history; small business became big businesses, some of them becoming major corporations. Just within a few years, from 1869 and 1910, the value of American manufacturing rose from $3 billion to $13 billion (Calhoun, 15). The transformation of businesses to major corporations was reached through the development and improvement of mechanization, and a new set of standards. The rise of big business was accompanied by the emergence of new class millionaires. At the beginning of the Civil War, there were only 400 millionaires in the United States, by the ear on 1892; the number had risen to 4,047 (Boundless). Two of those millionaires were Rockefeller, who founded the Standard Oil Company, and Carnegie who built Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company.
Both Rockefeller and Carnegie were the richest men in America, with the exception of Rockefeller who was the riches t man in the world. Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870. During this time he became the richest man in the world and the first American worth over a billion dollars (Mintz). Years later Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company grew so much that it controlled 915 of oil production and 85% of final sales (Boundless).