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Published byAmy Long Modified over 9 years ago
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During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age the number of railroads increased rapidly in the US In an effort to beat out the competition, railroads offered special deals Rebates- a discounted price for shipping goods, usually granted to corporations that shipped greater quantities or more regularly.
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individuals and small businesses couldn’t qualify (paid more for carrier THEN had to charge more for product) Small railroads couldn’t compete and were run out of business = monopolies Some RR continued to undercut each other (rates) until one was out of business = monopoly
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Try to compete by creating POOLS Small farmers pool (combine) their crops until they have a large shipment that can qualify for a rebate Crops stored in a local warehouse/silo Cooperative method
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State Attempts to set RR rates to make shipping fair for all (Munn v. Illinois) Overturned – only Congress has the right to regulate interstate commerce (Wabash case) Federal Interstate Commerce Act (1887)- prohibited rate discrimination (difficult to prove) Elkins Act (1903)- prohibited charging a rate different from the printed rate- fine charged Hepburn Act (1906)- added imprisonment to the above punishment
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John D. Rockefeller Andrew Carnegie J.P. Morgan Cornelius Vanderbilt Jay Gould Jim Fisk Cyrus Field Philip Armour And others….
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Owning all businesses from the ground up Mines, transportation, factories, retail Cutting out the “middle man” All profits to the owner Carnegie Steel Raw Materials Manufacturing & Assembly Distribution
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Buying up “like-minded” business Avoid competition = monopoly Rockefeller- Standard Oil Railroads
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“The Central Bank: Why should Uncle Sam establish one, when Uncle Piermont is already on the job?”
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Passed by Congress (1890) Made trusts illegal because they restricted trade Weak law (too many loopholes) Hurt labor unions for their restraint of trade instead
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Darwin’s theory of survival is applied to society Those who can find jobs, make money and thrive will survive Those who can’t survive on their own will die Leaving behind the fittest, best, brightest and most worthy citizens Rich get richer, poor get poorer
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Written in 1889 by Andrew Carnegie Outlines his beliefs regarding the social responsibilities of the wealthy Read the excerpt provided and respond to BOTH questions in complete sentences.
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