History of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The act gave the federal government and the Department of Justice the authority to institute legal suits against enterprises that violate the act. §§ 1-38 in Title 15 of the U.S. Code. The Sherman Act is codified 15 U.S.C. Congress passed the first antitrust law, the Sherman Act, in 1890 as a "comprehensive charter of economic liberty aimed at preserving free and unfettered competition as the rule of trade." Many times the most common infractions became price fixing and bid rigging, which would be defined by the courts as per se violations. In 1914, Congress passed two additional antitrust laws: the Federal Trade Commission Act, which created the FTC, and the Clayton Act. Within these provisions, the guiding principles of proper interstate commerce are found. The Sherman Antitrust Act was one of the first pieces of federal legislation designed to curb the growth of corporate monopolies. Many people believed that this new form of business organization stifled competition and led to manipulation of prices. 7.9 Le Sherman Antitrust Act de 1890 : Le congrès vota cette loi en 1890, et elle est à la base de toutes les lois anti-monopole américaines actuelles. Sherman Antitrust Act The last third of the 19th century witnessed the development of business conglomerates or trusts . The Sherman Antitrust Act is divided into two main parts. §§1-7. The first section of bill outlines certain elements of considered restraint that companies cannot practice. 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. Elle interdit tout contrat, arrangement, conspiration pour restreindre le commerce. Sherman Antitrust Act, Ch. 209, codified at 15 U.S.C. Summary and Definition: The 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act was named after its primary supporter, Ohio Senator John Sherman and dated July 2, 1890. Overview Edit The Sherman Antitrust Act is a U.S. federal law that contains two substantive provisions. Elle interdit aussi toute conspiration visant à s'assurer le monopole d'une industrie donnée. The purpose of the Sherman Antitrust Act was to maintain free competition in business and made it a crime to monopolize any part of trade or commerce. 647, 26 Stat.