1. First DBQ – DUE
Big Business

2. Question
To what extent and for what reasons did the policies of the federal government from 1865 – 1900 violate the principles of laissez faire, which advocated minimal government intervention in the economy? Consider with specific reference to the following three (3) areas of policy: railroad land grants, control of interstate commerce, and anti-trust activities.

3. Remember your formatting
INTRO – thesis statement; mentioning your three subtopics
BODY PARAGRAPHS – 3 of them
1) RR Land Grants
2) Control of Interstate Commerce
3) Anti-Trust Activities
CONCLUSION – restate your main ideas; wrap up the essay

4. Document A Amasa Walker; American Economist
The government is best which governs least
Gov’t needs to stay out of economic affairs.
Laissez-faire supporter
This can go in any subtopic paragraph.

5. Document B Daniel Knowlton – New York City Merchant
Laissez Faire supporter
Government should only protect the people’s safety, let the people do their business and trade
Could go into any subtopic

6. Document C
National Population and Federal Government Spending and Debt
Population increases
Government is spending more money
BUT the government is getting less and less out of debt
The government is giving away money, and land, and people are getting richer and pouring money back into the economy
As the population grows, the country gets richer…the government made money off the land it gave away

7. Document D RR Land Grants
This is an example of government intervention
Stimulus
The government took land, subsidized it, and gave it to corporations to BUILD RRs.
NOT Laissez Faire – government intervenes by taking the land and giving it away
Sub-Topic - RR Land Grants

8. Document E National Agricultural Congress of farmers’ representatives
Farmers are calling for businesses to BE FAIR
The farmers are calling for government intervention to make corporations charge fair rates for shipping
Against Laissez Faire
Subtopic – RR Land grants; or Interstate Commerce

9. Document F Congressional Record – U.S. Congress
Congress is stopping the giving of land to businesses by 1878.
This is Laissez-Faire
They give land away for a few years and then they back off
Sub-topic – RR Land Grants

10. Document G J.K. Lutrell; Democratic Congress
Criticizing the government for giving away the land and causing a gap between the rich and poor
Subtopic – RR Land grants

11. Document H Jay Gould – RR Financier – RICH!
Supports government intervention to give the land away
He believed it was helping the country and the people by providing capital for the nation

12. Document I Charles Francis Adams Jr.; RR official The Railroad Problem
It makes the few rich; creates these socioeconomic gaps
Who can solve the problem? The government
The governments need to intervene and make laws to solve the problem
Subtopic – RR Land Grants

13. Document J Interstate Commerce U.S. Senate
RRs are fueling the rich and hurting the not so rich; fueling monopolies and such
Congress must secure fairness and equity through legislation
Result – Interstate Commerce Act
Subtopic – interstate commerce

14. Document K William C. Oates Democratic Congressman
AGAINST government intervention referring to the Interstate Commerce Act
If the government starts intervening in business it will diminish our democratic values that makes the U.S. special
Laissez Faire supporter
Subtopic – Interstate commerce

15. Document L Interstate Commerce Commission
Defending government intervention
They are saying that the government is not attacking free enterprise, but instead unfair business practices
Subtopic – interstate commerce

16. Document M Political Cartoon 1889
The fatmen are trusts; rich entrepreneurs and corporations; they look mean and intimidating
Standing behind the senators as they make laws
BIG BUSINESS HOLDS THE REAL POWER
Criticizing trusts and monopolies
Subtopic – Anti-trust activities

17. Document N John Sherman
Lead politician pushing the Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Supports government intervention to protect FAIR COMPETITION and fair business practices
Subtopic – Antitrust activities

18. Document O President Grover Cleveland Second Inaugural Addy
Cleveland is supporting government intervention to protect FAIR business
Subtopic – Antitrust Activities
PS TRUSTS = “combinations”

19. Document P Chief Justice M.W. Fuller
Supreme Court defends the U.S. Government’s right to regulation and stop monopolies and trusts
Subtopic – Anti-Trust Activities

20. Document Q U.S. government data Mergers in Manufacturing and mining
Federal Prosecutions under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act by President
Mergers – companies coming together – forming a trust
1895 – 1900 – goes up dramatically then drops
Sherman Anti-Trust is not being consistently and successfully enforced
Presidents didn’t enforce this law consistently
This shows the difficulty the government has in finding a good balance of intervention in U.S. economics
Sherman Anti-Trust Act will not be thoroughly enforced until Roosevelt’s presidency (1901 – 1909)
Subtopic – Anti-Trust Activities