Which law aimed to restrain monopolies?

• A. Sherman Antitrust Act
• B. Clayton Act
• C. Interstate Commerce Act
• D. Meat Inspection Act

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how the government started using laws to promote competition by stopping powerful firms from taking over markets. The Sherman Antitrust Act, passed in 1890, was the first federal effort to curb monopolies by making illegal any agreement or conduct that restrains trade or that monopolizes any part of interstate commerce. It was designed specifically to brake up trusts and other large combinations that dominated industries during the Gilded Age, when oil, steel, and rail at times saw enormous concentrations of power. This act established the principle that monopolies and anti-competitive practices could be challenged in court. Later laws like the Clayton Act added details and strengthened enforcement, but the Sherman Act is the landmark move aimed at restraining monopolies. The Interstate Commerce Act dealt with regulating railroad rates and practices, not directly with monopolies, and the Meat Inspection Act focused on food safety.