1 / 20

Big Business

First DBQ – DUE 01.23.15. Big Business. 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?

defrancisco
Download Presentation

Big Business

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. First DBQ – DUE 01.23.15 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

More Related