Which of the following was the main policy of government towards big businesses in the late 1800s? Horizontal integration LaSierra ferry vertical integration or antitrust laws?

In the late 1800s, the main policy of government towards big businesses was characterized by a lack of regulation, which allowed for the rise of monopolies and trusts. While antitrust laws began to emerge towards the end of this period (with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890), the government generally favored laissez-faire policies, allowing big businesses to grow unchecked.

Horizontal integration and vertical integration are business strategies used by companies to consolidate their market power, but they do not represent government policy. Thus, while antitrust laws were introduced later as a response to the monopolistic practices of the time, the overall government approach during much of the late 1800s was largely permissive towards the expansion of big businesses through practices like horizontal and vertical integration.

In summary, the correct framing would be that while antitrust laws started to emerge, the predominant policy prior to that was one of minimal intervention, allowing the rise of large corporations through practices like horizontal and vertical integration.

Pick one of the answers I provided

The main policy of government towards big businesses in the late 1800s from your provided options would be **antitrust laws**. While enforcement was limited initially, this period paved the way for future regulations aimed at curbing the power of monopolies and protecting competition.