At the turn of the century, the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 was ______.

• A. a state-level regulation with no impact on federal commerce
• B. a law that legalized all forms of business combinations
• C. the first major federal law aimed at curbing monopolistic practices in the United States
• D. primarily focused on regulating labor unions rather than monopolies

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the historical context of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which was enacted at the federal level in the United States.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the Act was designed to address issues related to monopolies and anti-competitive business practices, rather than state-level regulations or labor unions.
3. Step 3: Recall that the Sherman Antitrust Act was the first major federal legislation aimed specifically at curbing monopolistic practices and promoting competition in the marketplace.
4. Step 4: Eliminate incorrect options by noting that it was not a state-level regulation, did not legalize all business combinations, and was not primarily focused on labor unions.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct characterization of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 is that it was the first major federal law aimed at curbing monopolistic practices in the United States.