In the mid 19th Century, JP Morgan comes to Wall Street, seeking to escape his father Junius' shadow and make a name for himself in American banking.
As the turn of the century approaches, JP Morgan's dominance on Wall Street is unquestioned; soon the rapid expansion of railroads gives a rival, Jacob Schiff, a chance to challenge him.
Having transformed America into an economic juggernaut, JP Morgan hands control of his banking empire to his only son, Jack; confronted with the daunting task of building on his father's legacy, Jack also faces challenges from a new generation.
JP Morgan's death leaves the Titans of Wall Street competing to fill the power vacuum; while Jack Morgan knows he must step up, Henry Goldman and Samuel Sachs are moving to seize the future.
The Roaring '20s see America rise to become one of the world's greatest superpowers; this is fueled by a historic bull run on Wall Street, and the exploding stock market draws a new wave of would-be titans to New York.
The crash of 1929 lays waste to Wall Street; Joe Kennedy is one of the few to survive unscathed and he bets that the devastation will only continue; as the Great Depression takes hold, Kennedy becomes richer while the rest of the nation struggles.