Question

This cartoon was published in Puck magazine in 1889. The sign in the middle of the Senate room reads, "This is a Senate of the Monopolists, by the Monopolists, and for the Monopolists."

What is most likely the purpose of this cartoon?
A.
to demonstrate how different U.S. industries were from each other in the late 1800s
B.
to show how much influence big business leaders had on the U.S. government
C.
to compare the differences between the major trust leaders and U.S. senators
D.
to give people an accurate portrayal of what some trust leaders looked like

Answer 1

B

The cartoon criticizes the influence of big-business monopolists over the U.S. Senate, suggesting that trusts and wealthy industrialists effectively controlled government policy during the Gilded Age.