Bell System

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/bell-system

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Bell System?Over one million employees
2. What is the founding entity?The Bell Telephone Company, established 1877
3. What is the dominant corporation?AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph Company)
4. Why did the government break up the Bell System?The government said the company was too powerful and didn't let other companies compete. So it split the company into smaller parts called Baby Bells.
5. Who started the Bell Telephone Company?Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and started the Bell Telephone Company in 1877.

Vertical Integration: A business strategy where a company controls multiple stages of its supply chain, from production to distribution.
Antitrust Division: A branch of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for enforcing antitrust laws.
Sherman Antitrust Act: A foundational U.S. law enacted in 1890 aimed at preventing monopolies and promoting fair competition.
Consent Decree: A negotiated agreement between parties in a legal dispute that becomes a court order, often used to settle antitrust cases.