How Rockefeller Became the World’s First Billionaire | Boring Biography for Sleep

This is a slow, factual biography of John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil and one of the wealthiest individuals in modern history. Presented in a steady, chronological manner, this video traces Rockefeller’s life from his early years in 19th-century America, through his rise in the oil industry, and into the long period of wealth, regulation, and philanthropy that followed. Rather than focusing on praise or condemnation, the account examines how Rockefeller accumulated power through discipline, efficiency, and organization. The biography also explores the broader context of the Gilded Age, including monopolies, antitrust laws, and the transformation of American capitalism. Rockefeller’s later years—marked by extreme longevity, religious devotion, and systematic philanthropy—are presented with the same restraint as his rise. This video is designed for listeners who prefer history delivered calmly and without dramatization. No fast pacing. No sensational framing. Just a methodical account of a life that reshaped modern business.