Don't forget that you will need to two blog posts--one where you type a substantial response to my question and one where you reply (respectfully) to a classmate. To receive credit you need to contribute factual detail, and you cannot repeat what has already been said.
In the post–Civil War United States, corporations grew significantly in number, size, and influence.
Analyze the impact of big business on the economy and politics and the responses of Americans to these
changes. (You should only discuss the period 1870 to 1900. )
Need help getting started? Think of a big business. Explain what it was and what it did. Did it create a trust? Did it follow fair business standards, or did it follow a laissez faire philosophy? What effect did that business have on the economy? On society? On politics? How did people respond?
Good luck and happy blogging!
Marcelle- Big businesses became successful because of the services or products they offered. With all the profit they gained they bribed politicians. The businesses took advantage of workers by paying them low wages for long hours, eliminated competition with trusts, and they tried to keep the country in support of a laissez faire philosophy.. Plutocracy began to plague America and workers began to strike. As a result America became a leading manufacturing nation and laws began to develop
ReplyDeleteIf they quit, immigrants would take their place.
DeleteIf immigrants were injured they would be kicked to the curb, and the employers would hire someone else. Jobs were in demand at the time
DeleteBusinesses were in need to expand , as industries increased in production the pieces of technology introduced became a requirement for westward expansion. Businesses also outsourced labor, creating more profits.
ReplyDeleteBusinesses also gave low wages to the workers. Workers dint stop working because money was needed.
DeleteNot only did it lower the workers wages, but also hurt farmers because they were no longer as much in business as the large companies were
DeleteBusinesses augmented and expanded throughout the United States. However, these business took power and control over the United States. Business created trusts in order to get rid of the other leading businesses. Businesses did not follow fair business standards because they were always hungry for power and control. They followed a laissez fair philosophy because they wanted the government to stay out of their actions. The business had a great effect on the economy. They provided alot of money from their work. However, they gave their workers low wages. The people didn't make a fuss because they knew that their place could be easily taken by an immigrant at a lower cost and they needed money.
ReplyDeleteAddition to Marcelle:Owners of large businesses were not restricted in anything that they did. These men were able to change prices and banish employees without a cause, giving them control over the goods and services that they provided over the nation. Many laborers were upset that they had to work long hours in dangerous conditions for these businessmen who paid them low wages and took away their independence and individualism.
ReplyDeleteProduct prices began to increase and the population of cities increased as well. They also began using more machinery.
ReplyDeleteBig businesses were seen to everyone as thiefs and crooks set out to heat the people. Although they made vast amounts of money for themselves they charged plenty to others who actually used their railroads or oil. Such as the farms who had to pay a stiphen extra in order to have their goods distributed by chicao
ReplyDeleteMany viewed big businesses as the enemy mainly because the idea was that workers or farmers knew what these big industries were taking away from the little that they had and didn,'t even provide them with benefits or better conditions. Many of the businesses that were successful usually cheated their workers and used the methods of laissez faire to gain money.
ReplyDeleteWith the laissez faire ideaology instilled throughout the government, major corporations had minimal restrictions. Trust and monopolies gave companies and corporations immense wealth and power eliminating competition and having control of price rates.- Edwin Arriaga
ReplyDeleteWith this plan of laissez faire going on people did not know who to trust because of the fact that the federal government supported the big business owners because they trusted the federal government and helped them out. Trusts and Mopolies soon became a great issue on how people ran the government. The people did not run it anymore the business owners did now.
DeleteBig businesses often robbed their workers and common individuals. Businesses would often form monopolies raising their prices or their goods and services forcing consumers to have no choice but pay the increased prices. They often robbed their workers who tried forming labor unions but were not helped by the govnment and official who were bribed and maunipulated by the businesses themselves.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the monopolist like J.P. Morgan had the government in "the palm of his hand" and controlled them to his advantage.
DeleteBig businesses had a lot of power and controlled most of the nations wealth which is why most people did not like them. They was nothing to be done about them since other were laws to protect big businesses. The businesses also mistreated their workers who could not do anything about it or they would get fired.
ReplyDeleteAnd they didn't want to loose their jobs because they were limited since big businesses did what they could to eliminate competition, lowering the amount of services
DeleteIf the workers did do anything it wouldn't affect the big business because they could fire them and get an immigrant worker who would work for cheaper pay which means they could keep more money.
DeleteBusinesses also bribed many government officials to get what they want.
DeleteBig businesses such as John D Rockefeller's Standar Oil company had a huge impact on the economy. This company was in charge of all main oil refineries. After he began to see it prosper he created the Standard Oil Trust where stockholders in companies gave their shares to a single group who controlled all of the companies. The Standard Oil company didn't follow the fair business standards. It began to use many techniques to destroy it's competitors such as temporarily undercutting prices of competitors. People weren't really satisfied with these businesses because they were lowering the chances for them to find a job also the smaller business owners weren't happy that they were wiped out by it.
ReplyDeleteBig business had most of the nations wealth and most of the people couldn't do anything about it because the government would protect the the big businesses instead of the people.
ReplyDeleteThe government had passed laws that would protect big businesses and break up labor unions.
DeleteNot to mention the workers were paid low and treated bad.
DeleteAmericans attempted to create labor unions to lower the amount of hours they worked and to have bigger wages. Businesses were under paying their workers causing them to only depend on them. There was little competition among businesses. These businesses also had a lot of power in government. They controlled them through bribes.
ReplyDeleteThe big business in the post-civil war had a very profound effect on the economy as companies like Standard Oil, Union Pacific Railroad, and US Steel took advantage of the people and manipulated them. They would rule out the competitors as they sacrificed them for themselves. The political world was also greatly influenced by the big business as they allowed them to control themselves with money that was greatly needed. Monopolist like J.P Morgan(US Steel) had power over Congress and other houses, allowing them to have the government on their side. However, the community was very outraged of all this corruption and created labor unions like Knights of Labor, American Federation of Labor, and etc that demanded better wages, hour schedule, and working conditions. In addition, middle class women (Jane Adams) established settlement houses(Hull) to help the needed immigrants that were being mistreated by the harsh business world..
ReplyDeleteMost people feared a lot of the big business owners because of the great power that they had. They were rich people who had a great saying in the house of senates. They were people who mistreated their workers because they knew they could always get more if they needed it and mostly their money bought anything even their way into the executive branch.
ReplyDeleteBig businesses had control over our government. The government made trust that favored big businesses putting many farmers in dept.they didnt care much about there workers and some owners often bragged about how they would rip off there workers.
ReplyDeleteMost laws passed by the government did not do much to help out the average workers. For example the Sherman Anti-Trust Act was used against labor unions despite the fact that they were to protect against big businesses.
DeleteThey also instilled fear with their power, and bribed politics to get what they wanted.
DeleteBig business would cheat their workers and they didn't care. If someone got hurt it wasn't the employers fault. They just moved to the next employee, because the demand for jobs were hi. Big business well also bribe the gov't. (social Darwinism was popular)
ReplyDeleteThese businesses were so competitive that they did not even care for their workers.
DeleteBig business created trusts in order to stay in the race and to make their competition eat their dust. They followed Laissez-Faire philosophy, because that philosophy meant that the government could not interfere. They also followed social Darwinism, survival of the fittest. Social Darwinism also allowed them to cheat their workers. They had a great impact on the economy and politics, because they had a lot of money from lots of profit and would be able to bribe the government to get what they desired. Workers didn't respond because of fear of being fired from their jobs.
ReplyDeleteCorporations began to grow, as did monopolies and businesses. Their numbers grew to be so significant that they were known to be one of the major forces within the United States,with both a great amount of power and the ability to control much within the United States. Owners of big businesses gave out such low wages that can easily be said were demeaning. Yet, work was of dire importance and, often times, individuals had no choice but to cooperate with these conditions, no matter how difficult it may have been.
ReplyDeleteBig businesses basically had control on the United States.
DeleteThat's right they need money to support there family.
Deletemany big corporations, monopolies and business were staring to grow and became one of the major forces in America, having to control and have all the power they had to give out very low payment for their workers that they (the workers) had no choice but to suck it up and deal with it even if it was so difficult to cooperate with.
ReplyDeleteStandard oil company would be another great example of this including Rockefeller.
DeleteCorporations and big business were growing and were making an impact in America. They grew so powerful that they were able to control the United States. Business owners were even giving their own workers low pay , so they can get more money. The workers had to accept that because they needed the job.
ReplyDeleteLarge corporations and business were expanding and over powering the United states. The U.S was largely impacted by the businesses. The owners of the corporations and businesses started to cheat their workers out of money and the workers were defenseless because they needed the little money the got to support their families.
ReplyDeleteGkeyah
Big businesses were growing and making a huge impact on the United States. Businesses eventually were so powerful that they were able to control the US. The workers were so desperate for jobs they worked for low wages.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad how bussiness owners didnt care for the actual well being of their workers. Many bussiness owners like Rockefeller believed in Social Darwinism, and full out right admitted that they cheated their workers because it kept them sharp. And if a worker wasnt complying with company standards? No problem. There was always alot of immigrants who would love to take their spot for even LOWER pay.
DeleteBusinesses had a big impact on the economy and government. These businesses became so large and powerful that they controlled the government. They created monopolies and trust to get rid of competitors. The wages were low but Americans were in need of money and could not afford to give up their jobs to immigrants who would work for a lower income.
ReplyDeleteBig businesses wanted to be the only business around. They didnt want any competitors so they always tried to make the others go bankrupted then buy their business. That eventually to one huge business like the oil business Rockerfeller did.
ReplyDeleteDuring the guilded age, the government took a laissez- faire approach and didn't really try to intervene when they saw big businesses take advantage of smaller ones. If they did step it, it was supporting the big businesses. Kind of messed up, don't you think? It took decades for the government to finally grow some back bone and pass some acts to put these businesses on track like the Sherman antitrust act in 1890, and the ICC in 1887. One of the biggest businesses was the railroad business , ran by Stanford. He had a lot of power and political influence over officials. Aka corruption to the Max. That's what most of the big businesses did, put other companies out of business, have ridiculous prices to try to scandal money, and the swindled government officials and immigrants into persuading them to vote for things that would benefit themselves and not the people. Big business back in the guilded age was everything.
ReplyDeleteBig businesses had a huge impact on economy. Companies such as Standard oil and many more were so strong, the government was in their hands. Monopolies were used to buy smaller businesses to make those businesses become superior. On top of that, immigrants were paid ridiculously low and were treated horridly. Of course the immigrants couldn't say anything, or they'd get fired.
ReplyDeleteBig corporations such as Rockefeller and standard oil company were very powerful, and treated there workers very awful. If a worker had gotten sick or even died, the business wouldn't care, it would just replace that worker. That's not even discussing about the low wages the companies pay there workers and immigrants.
ReplyDeleteBig businesses became so powerful that presidents during Gilded Age weren't really payed attention to. These business took over government and the economy. They wanted to be the only ones out there. Therefore they tried to bring other businesses down by bankrupting them and convincing them go to their business.
ReplyDeleteThe big businesses were very successful due to the products they offered. The owners of these big businesses took advantage of their workers by paying them low wages and having them work in horrible conditions knowing that they would work under any conditions since they were desperate need to make money. Due to money being made quickly with their products selling and money being saved from labor, they were able to control the economy and government.
ReplyDelete