LESSON PLANS:
https://www.history4humans.com/produc...

This History For Humans story-lecture teaches the amazing story of the rise of Standard Oil trust and John D Rockefeller. John D. Rockefeller rose from poverty to create one of the largest corporations in American history but also one of the most hated monopolies of all time. Layered within the story, it also breaks down how industrialization during the Gilded Age led to rise of big business in America with railroads, new innovations like vertical and horizontal integration, Andrew Carnegie, and important concepts like Social Darwinism and Laissez Faire. Covering the story and history in a fair, balanced, and unbiased way, students are left to consider if they think if John D. Rockefeller was a Robber Baron or Captain of Industry.

Like all History For Humans episodes, this teaches students in a way they understand and actually learn- through story and with visual supports for diverse learners.

For teachers and homeschool parents, I have resources that go with this lesson that include interactive notesheets, a quick quiz, and an extension lesson that has students read two secondary sources, gather evidence in a T chart, before writing an opt-ed for an 1885 newspaper if they think Standard Oil should be broken up for having detrimental impacts on the country or kept in place due to its positive effects. It has scaffolds and supports and helps develop historical thinking skills and there are answer keys for everything!