The Standard Oil Company was the largest and arguably the most powerful corporation in the history of mankind. In 1904, Standard controlled 91% of production and 85% of final sales of petroleum products in the USA. Because of its monopolistic powers and unlawful business practices, on May 15, 1911, the Supreme Court declared the Standard Oil group to be an unreasonable monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act, and ordered Standard to break up into 34 independent companies.
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