1. Summary of the Reform Movement By The Trust-Busters From the
late 19th century to the early 20th century, Americans struggled
due to the fact that monopolies and trusts left much of the nations
wealth in the hands of a small group of powerful men. During the
Reconstruction Era, Radical Republicans established Laissez-Faire
policies that favored Northern Industrialists. These policies set
no regulations on stock, sanitation, or fixed price rates. Some
policies, such as The Homestead Act, allowed certain eligible
persons to have 160 acres of land if they met certain conditions.
This act was an example of how the federal government promoted
western migration by basically giving away public lands or selling
them at rock-bottom prices. The early railroad companies in America
quickly developed into the nations first monopolies. The Pacific
Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864 gave the railroad companies large
land grants to build on. These land grants promoted big businesses
which turned into trusts. Our job is to bust these trusts.