1. Why were leaders of "big business in the late 1800's referred to as "captains of industry" by some and "robber barons" by others?

The correct answer to this open question is the following.

Why were leaders of "big business in the late 1800s referred to as "captains of industry" by some and "robber barons" by others?

Because those men were important businessmen in that time in the United States and created huge companies that grow immensely until they were lonely competitors in their industries. That was the case of John D. Rockefeller with the Standaard Oil Company or Andrew Carnegie with the Steel Company. Other great entrepreneurial names of the time were also Henry Ford and Cornelious Vanderbilt.

On the other hand, journalists and citizens accused these men of creating monopolies and injustice corporate practices that did not allow other companies to compete in these industries. That is why some called them "robber barons."

pepin the short[a] (german: pippin der kurze, french: pépin le bref, c. 714 – 24 september 768) was the king of the franks from 751 until his death. he was the first of the carolingians to become king.[b][2]

the younger son of the frankish prince charles martel and his wife rotrude, pepin's upbringing was distinguished by the ecclesiastical education he had received from the monks of st. denis. succeeding his father as the mayor of the palace in 741, pepin reigned over francia jointly with his elder brother carloman. pepin ruled in neustria, burgundy, and provence, while his brother carloman established himself in austrasia, alemannia and thuringia. the brothers were active in suppressing revolts led by the bavarians, aquitanians, saxons, and the alemanni in the early years of their reign. in 743, they ended the frankish interregnum by choosing childeric iii, who was to be the last merovingian monarch, as figurehead king of the franks.