Standard Oil dissolved

Historical Context Note

Lucas Paul Richert (University of Saskatchewan)
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In 1906 the U.S. Government launched a suit against Standard Oil Company on the grounds that it had violated the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act. In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Standard Oil to divest itself of all its major holdings. The lawsuit had its antecedents in the late 19th century, when Standard Oil eliminated much of its competition to control 90 to 95 percent of the oil produced in the United States. In 1882, Standard Oil of New Jersey was established to refine, produce, and market oil; however, this company and its nine trustees also governed over 40 corporations. In 1899, all assets and interests were consolidated in one holding company, Standard Oil of New Jersey. Critics believed that this concentration of economic power was unduly excessive and ultimately harmful to…

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Citation: Richert, Lucas Paul. "Standard Oil dissolved". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=5561, accessed 26 November 2024.]

5561 Standard Oil dissolved 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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