Andy+P.+8F-John+D.+Rockefeller



 My "I Am..." Person is none other than the notorious John D. Rockefeller, Sr. What made me interested in this financial titan? Was it his amassing the largest fortune in modern history (nigh 320 billion USD)? Or perhaps it was because of his reputation as an unscrupulous robber baron who relentlessly pursued the American Dream? Whatever the case, it is an incontrovertible fact that Rockefeller is one of the most prominent, if not controversial, figures in existence. Prior to beginning my research, I had only a superficial understanding of Rockefeller. I'd already known about the opulence and wealth typically associated with him, his numerous philanthropic activities, and his morally questionable methods. As I engaged in extensive research, I realized that this man was more than just the quintessential self-absorbent plutocrat. His shrewd understanding of business and his readiness to utilize it were traits that I could only admire in him. Of course, the same could be said of much of the members of the upper class in history. So what was so impressive about him? Sure, he started out a completely mediocre citizen. But that doesn't compare with the inspirational "rags to riches" stories of businessmen like Carnegie. What made him stand out in a crowd? I saw nothing in the writing, so eventually I was forced to make my own rationalizations. You may see this as a cliche, but I believe that men who are motivated solely by ambition and avarice never truly gain what they seek. And, according to many sources, Rockefeller was such a man. And here lies the answer. His implacable pursuit of the grand life and his economic genius allowed him to become the richest person in history. Evidently, many people have, to a certain degree, an impressive comprehension of society. But they all pale in comparison to Rockefeller. Digressing somewhat, I also wondered about his not inconspicuous family. Considering the indulged way they must have lived their childhood, how did they all end up? The Rockefeller family was much like the dynasty of a Chinese emperor. Did their decadent lifestyles affect their personalities profoundly or did they become conscientious citizens?

**My primary historical question is "From the perspective of an average person, would Rockefeller's philanthropic efforts later on in life exonerate him from being a ruthless oil magnate?"**

**Timeline**


 * Primary Sources

Document: 1. [|The Cleveland Gazette]

2. [|Obituary]

**Visual:

[|Picture #1]  [|Picture #2] [|Picture #3] [|Picture #4] [|Picture #5] [|Picture #6] [|Picture #7] [|Picture #8] [|Picture #9] [|Picture #10] [|Picture #11] 

Quotes: My life has been one long, happy holiday; Full of work and full of play I dropped the worry on the way And God was good to me every day.
 * I was early taught to work as well as play,

 1. [|Review]

2. [|Brainyquote]

3. [|Wikiquote] **

 **Secondary Sources** 1. [|ABC-CLIO]

2. [|History]

3. [|PBS]

 Dear Mr. Hurst,

Do you recall telling me earlier today that I could upload the podcast and script today? Well, earlier, my MacBook crashed. I am currently using another computer to write this. Unfortunately, both the script and podcast were on the MacBook. In fact, I'd only finished all the editing a little while ago when the screen spontaneously darkened. I have frantically attempted everything humanly possible! I have tried visiting Mac Support sites, to no avail. You see, all of the [|advice] involves restarting my MacBook, which I evidently cannot do, as I have not saved my work. Restarting my MacBook would have devastating ramifications. You are undoubtedly skeptical right now. Most who read this would merely think that my tendency to procrastinate has finally caught up with me. I resent that! Tomorrow, before the beginning of school, I will attempt to bring you my MacBook in order to assert that every word in this post is honest, for I am a man of great integrity.

Due to a failure to communicate, the Mac Help expert restarted my computer, forcing me to redo the majority of my work. I hope you will understand.

 Script



 Podcast

media type="file" key="Rockefeller Podcast.mp4"

 Of the four comments I posted, the one on Sung-woo's webpage should be ignored-I couldn't resist.