Before a series of antitrust acts and laws were instituted by the federal government, it was not illegal for companies to use any means to eliminate competition in late 19th century America. . Production technology was now advanced to the point where supply could exceed demand for products. As competition intensified in a given market, more and more companies banded together into trusts or holding companies to control their market dominance (Cengage 2). When President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in in 1901, he led America into action with forceful government solutions (“Online” 1). Roosevelt effectively regulated infringing business giants through the creation of the Department of Commerce and Labor, the Bureau of Corporations, and Antitrust Prosecutions. Trusts were essentially agreements between companies in a given market intended to be anti-competitive with each other. The problematic methods and techniques they used included rigorously lowering prices, "buying out competitors, forcing customers to sign long-term contracts, [and] forcing customers to purchase products they do not want." did not want to receive other goods (“Sherman” 1). For example, financier JP Morgan seized the business opportunity presented by the Depression of 1893, which occurred for the same reason as the Depression of 1873: more goods had been produced than could be produced. 'sell some due to excessive expansion. Morgan acquired many railroad companies that had declared bankruptcy ("Domination" 2), as well as Carnegie Steel from Andrew Carnegie in 1901 (Keesee 356). To differentiate monopolies from trusts, it must be said that individual companies were able to form monopolies when they were in control of "almost the entirety of a type of product or service...[It] affects consumption... ... middle of paper ...... or Christian Schools® 3rd ed., Greenville, SC: Bob Jones UP, 2001. 356. Print. Central Ohio History. “Breaking trust”. OHC, July 1, 2005. Web October 3, 2011.-Online Highways, LLC. “Commerce and Industry, Theodore Roosevelt Administration.” Breaking trust: a response to corporate concentration. Nd, n. page. Internet. September 25, 2011. “CPU Editorial Article – Antitrust Laws: Not Just for the Big Guys.” » Editorial. Processor November 19, 2004: 27+. Processor.com. Internet. November 29, 2011.- “Sherman Antitrust Act, The.” Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 1998. The web. September 17, 2011.-“Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal.” The Progressive Era. SparkNotes and Web. October 03, 2011.United States. Department of Commerce and Labor. Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor (House document). Books.google.com. USGPO 1903. Web - Digitized July 17, 2008. Web. October 3, 2011. Print.