Which law, signed by Benjamin Harrison, was the first federal action against monopolies and later used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting, though sometimes against labor unions?

Which law, signed by Benjamin Harrison, was the first federal action against monopolies and later used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting, though sometimes against labor unions?

• A. Clayton Antitrust Act
• B. Interstate Commerce Act
• C. Hepburn Act
• D. Sherman Antitrust Act

Answer: (D)

The question tests the idea of the first broad effort by the federal government to check monopolies and how that framework shaped later trust-busting. The law in question is the Sherman Antitrust Act, enacted in 1890 and signed by Benjamin Harrison. This act made it illegal to restrain trade or create restraints that stifle competition, giving the federal government a clear tool to challenge the power of large trusts that dominated markets. The act is the foundation Roosevelt drew on when he pursued “trust-busting” campaigns early in the 20th century. He used it to take on big combinations that controlled industries and restricted competition, notably in cases like the Northern Securities Company, where the Supreme Court dissolved the railroad trust. At the same time, the Sherman Act’s broad language was sometimes applied in ways that affected labor unions, because unions could be seen as restraining trade through boycotts or strikes—an interpretation that later reforms moved to protect workers more robustly. While other acts among the options played important roles—like regulating railroads and expanding federal oversight later on—the Sherman Antitrust Act is the initial, landmark step signed by Harrison that established the federal government’s authority to curb monopolistic power and set the stage for Roosevelt’s trust-busting era.

The question tests the idea of the first broad effort by the federal government to check monopolies and how that framework shaped later trust-busting. The law in question is the Sherman Antitrust Act, enacted in 1890 and signed by Benjamin Harrison. This act made it illegal to restrain trade or create restraints that stifle competition, giving the federal government a clear tool to challenge the power of large trusts that dominated markets.

The act is the foundation Roosevelt drew on when he pursued “trust-busting” campaigns early in the 20th century. He used it to take on big combinations that controlled industries and restricted competition, notably in cases like the Northern Securities Company, where the Supreme Court dissolved the railroad trust. At the same time, the Sherman Act’s broad language was sometimes applied in ways that affected labor unions, because unions could be seen as restraining trade through boycotts or strikes—an interpretation that later reforms moved to protect workers more robustly.

While other acts among the options played important roles—like regulating railroads and expanding federal oversight later on—the Sherman Antitrust Act is the initial, landmark step signed by Harrison that established the federal government’s authority to curb monopolistic power and set the stage for Roosevelt’s trust-busting era.