Excerpt from the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, 1890
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Sec. 1. Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is hereby declared to be illegal. Every person who shall make any such contract or engage in any such combination or conspiracy, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both said punishments, at the discretion of the court.
Sec. 2. Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof; shall be punished by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both said punishments, in the discretion of the court.
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
What trend during the Second Industrial Revolution did this law seek to roll back?
A.
the consolidation of businesses within an industry in a way that reduced competition
B.
the practice of corporations to direct public funding toward private profit-seeking endeavors
C.
the mechanization of production processes that led to unhealthy and unsafe working conditions
D.
the increasing production demands in industry that encouraged factories and mines to employ children
A. the consolidation of businesses within an industry in a way that reduced competition. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act sought to address the issue of monopolies and anti-competitive practices by making them illegal. Its purpose was to promote competition and prevent the concentration of economic power in the hands of a few large corporations.
To answer this question, we need to analyze the excerpt from the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890. This law was enacted during the Second Industrial Revolution in the United States, a period characterized by rapid industrialization and the rise of large corporations.
The key section of the excerpt that provides insight into the trend that the law sought to address is as follows:
"Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is hereby declared to be illegal."
From this statement, we can infer that the law aimed to address "contracts, combinations in the form of trust, or conspiracies" that were restraining trade or commerce. In other words, it sought to roll back the trend of "restraint of trade" during the Second Industrial Revolution.
Based on the options provided, the most suitable answer would be:
A. The consolidation of businesses within an industry in a way that reduced competition
This choice aligns with the aim of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, as it sought to prevent and break up monopolistic practices and anti-competitive behavior in order to promote fair competition and prevent the harmful effects of business consolidation on the economy.