Assignment 1 Never get into an argument with someone who buys ink by the barrel. -- An American idiom sometimes dubiously attributed to Mark Twain The late 1800s was a time

when many Americans felt that their society was dominated by the barons of railroads, steel, finance, and oil. With relatively few sources of information available to Americans, even newspapers at times exerted great influence over the U.S. political atmosphere. Critics have branded industrial dominators "Robber Barons." What were the benefits of the concentration of these sectors in so few hands? What were the detractors? What actions did the US government take between the late 1800s and the beginning of WWI regarding such quasi-monopolies and supremely wealthy financiers? Your research for this topic should extend beyond just the information contained in Carnes and Garrity. Two resources and a list of names are given below to help you get started. Your response should be in the range of 250-500 words. Names of some prominent business leaders of the era: Andrew Carnegie Charles Michael Schwab William Randolph Hearst John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan Thomas Alexander Scott John D. Rockefeller For brief discussions of the Interstate Commerce Act see p. 476 of Carnes and Garrity as well as the following web-based resources: Interstate Commerce Act (1887). National Archives and Records Administration. Available at: http://www.ourdocuments.gov/print_friendly.php?flash=true&page=&doc=49&title=Inter state+Commerce+Act+%281887%29 General Article: Interstate Commerce Act. (1996). WGBH Educational Foundation. Found at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/streamliners- commerce/