Lochner era

Okay, so a long time ago, when your great-grandparents were kids, there was a thing called the Lochner Era. It was a time when people argued a lot about how much the government should be able to tell businesses what to do.

The Lochner Era happened in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when lots of people were moving from farms to cities to work in factories. The government was trying to make sure that the people who worked in those factories were treated fairly and didn't get hurt on the job.

But some people, especially business owners, didn't like all of these rules. They wanted to be able to run their businesses however they thought was best, without having to follow all of these government rules.

So, in the Lochner Era, many business owners and their supporters argued that the government regulations were hurting businesses and that companies should be able to make their own rules about things like minimum wage, working hours, and safety standards. They believed this was important for businesses to be successful.

However, other people argued that the government had a responsibility to protect workers' rights and ensure that they were being treated fairly. They believed that if businesses were left completely unregulated, then workers could be taken advantage of and hurt on the job.

In the end, the Supreme Court made some important decisions during the Lochner Era. Some of the cases they decided helped businesses to be able to run their companies without as much government interference. But, other cases helped to protect workers and make sure they were being treated fairly.

So, the Lochner Era was a time when people argued a lot about how much control the government should have over businesses, and how to balance the needs of businesses with the needs of the workers who make them successful.