1. Breakup of Monopolies

2. Objectives
Content: Explain the policies of Bryan and T. Roosevelt regarding business.
Language: List the ways the captains were trying to influence the laws of the country.

3. Antitrust Sherman Act – the first antitrust law is passed in 1890.
It outlaws "every contract, combination, or conspiracy in restraint of trade," and any "monopolization, attempted monopolization, or conspiracy or combination to monopolize.”
The main goal is to protect the process of competition for the benefit of consumers, making sure there are strong incentives for businesses to operate efficiently, keep prices down, and keep quality up.

4. Election of 1896
McKinley Bryan

5. Politics William Jennings Bryan Ran for President three times
Fought for the lower classes and the rights of laborers/farmers
Spoke out against political corruption
MWBA – Disc 3 Taking the White House 3-3:52, 4:34-6:20

6. Election of 1900
McKinley & Roosevelt Bryan

7. Election of 1900 Theodore Roosevelt
Success in Spanish American War gives him celebrity status
Vice President and then President of U.S.
Believed president was the “steward of the people,” = he could not be bought or manipulated.

8. Theodore Roosevelt
Anti-trust - preventing or controlling trusts or other monopolies, with the intention of promoting competition.
MWBA – Disc 3 Taking the White House 36:45-43 Election, assassination, anti-trust cases
The New Machine 30:30-34:30 – new businesses, Rockefeller stock in gas comp = rich

9. Ida Tarbell
Her father faced an impossible decision in Sell to Rockefeller or go out of business.
This happened because of Rockefeller’s secret business deal with the railroads that allowed him to transport oil at a lower cost while the railroads raised the rates on the other oil businesses.

10. Ida Tarbell
Tarbell published a 19 part series in about the practices of Standard Oil which included:
Damaging internal documents
Interviews with employees, lawyers and conversations with Standard Oil’s most powerful senior executive at the time, Henry H. Rogers
The public was furious with her findings and many believe this led to the Supreme Court Case against Standard Oil.