The Rise of Big Business and Corruption

Open Ended

How do you think the ability to communicate and store information has impacted the growth of big businesses in recent decades?

Multiple Choice

Which technological advancement marked the transition from transforming material to transforming energy in human progress?

• Stone tools

• Water power

• Steam power

• Electric power

Open Ended

What is a corporation and why did investors develop this form of group ownership?

Multiple Select

Which of the following are rights that a corporation has, according to the lesson?

• The right to buy and sell property

• The right to sue in courts

• The right to vote in elections

• The right to print money

Multiple Select

Which business strategies did corporations use to gain an advantage over their competitors?

• Horizontal integration

• Vertical integration

• Raising wages

• Innovations in production management

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes horizontal integration as explained in the slides?

• A system of consolidating many firms in the same business

• A system of controlling all stages of production

• A method of increasing worker productivity

• A strategy for reducing labor costs

Open Ended

Explain how Disney is an example of modern day horizontal integration. Use evidence from the slide to support your answer.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are possible negative effects of horizontal integration on workers?

• Lower wages

• Higher rent

• Increased job security

• Decreased productivity

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between horizontal and vertical integration as described in the slides?

• Horizontal integration consolidates firms in the same business, while vertical integration controls all stages of production.

• Horizontal integration increases labor costs, while vertical integration decreases them.

• Horizontal integration is used only by small companies, while vertical integration is used by large companies.

• Horizontal integration focuses on manufacturing, while vertical integration focuses on marketing.

Open Ended

Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of big business based on the information and images provided in the slides.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following concerns did consumers and workers have about business practices in the 1880s?

• High prices set by monopolies and cartels

• Excessive government regulation

• Too many small businesses dominating the market

• Lack of technological innovation

Open Ended

How did the government's laissez-faire policies contribute to the negative perception of business leaders as 'robber barons'?

Multiple Select

Which of the following were actions taken by Congress to regulate business practices in the late 1800s?

• Creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission

• Passing the Sherman Antitrust Act

• Establishing the Federal Reserve

• Implementing the New Deal

Open Ended

What were some advantages and disadvantages of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890?

Open Ended

Explain how the Sherman Antitrust Act and the ICC represented a shift in the federal government's approach to regulating business during the Gilded Age.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following acts began a trend toward federal limitations on corporations' power during the Gilded Age?

• Sherman Antitrust Act

• Homestead Act

• Dawes Act

• Pendleton Act

Open Ended

How did corruption and political inaction during the Gilded Age raise concerns about the future of democracy in the United States?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following were challenges faced by political parties during the Gilded Age?

• Evenly divided party loyalties

• Difficulty passing new laws

• Close presidential elections

• All of the above

Multiple Select

Select all the factors that contributed to the disappointing presidency of Ulysses S. Grant.

• Scandals involving high-level advisors

• Successful economic reforms

• Corruption among friends and acquaintances

• Vice President implicated in a scheme

Open Ended

Reflecting on the timeline of technological progress, how do you think the shift from material and energy transformation to information transformation has impacted modern businesses?

Multiple Choice

Which technological advancement marked the transition from transforming energy to transforming information, according to the progress timeline?

• Electric power

• Steam power

• Communicating & storing information

• Water power