Apentix/AP US History/Unit 6: Period 6 (1865-1898)/Question
AP US Historyhardmcq1 pt

Which of the following best explains why the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 failed to check business consolidation in its first decade?

A.Courts interpreted the law narrowly, as in United States v. E. C. Knight, and more often applied it against labor unions than against corporations.
B.The act applied only to railroads and never to other industries.
C.Presidents Cleveland and McKinley vetoed every prosecution brought under the act.
D.The act was repealed within a year of its passage.

Explanation

Core Concept

The Supreme Court ruled in 1895 that manufacturing was not interstate commerce, shielding industrial trusts from the act. In the same period, courts used the law to issue injunctions against striking workers, inverting its purpose.

Correct Answer

ACourts interpreted the law narrowly, as in United States v. E. C. Knight, and more often applied it against labor unions than against corporations.

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