historical significance of sherman antitrust
What is the 'Sherman Antitrust Act' The Sherman Antitrust Act is landmark 1890 U.S. legislation which outlawed trusts, then understood to mean monopolies and cartels, to increase economic competitiveness. BREAKING DOWN 'Sherman Antitrust Act' The Sherman Antitrust Act was proposed in 1890 by Senator John Sherman from Ohio and was passed in the same year by the 51st U.S. Congress. Passed at the height of what is known as the Gilded Age in American history, the legislation is an early example of capitalist competition law designed to ensure that the economic playing field remained competitive.