The Rockefeller family is one of America’s most influential dynasties, having built one of the world’s greatest fortunes. Founded by John D. Rockefeller in the late 19th century through the oil industry, his company, Standard Oil, became a powerful monopoly. Rockefeller, history’s first billionaire, used bold and strategic business tactics to expand his empire rapidly. Over time, the family’s influence spread into banking, philanthropy, politics, education, and environmental conservation, helpin