Which law was one of the first antitrust laws enacted in the United States?

• A. Clayton Act
• B. Sherman Act
• C. Federal Trade Commission Act
• D. Robinson-Patman Act

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how the United States began curbing monopolies and anti‑competitive practices with early federal law. The Sherman Antitrust Act, enacted in 1890, is one of the first federal statutes aimed at preventing restraints on trade and monopolization. Its broad prohibition on trusts and coordinated efforts to restrain competition gave the government a clear tool to challenge powerful concentrations of economic power. Because it was one of the earliest such laws, it set the initial framework for federal enforcement against anti-competitive behavior and influenced later statutes. The Clayton Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and the Robinson‑Patman Act came later to address specific practices and create enforcement structures, but the Sherman Act is the foundational measure that started the federal antitrust regime.