Final answer:
Big business emerged during the Industrial Revolution as capitalists with access to substantial capital established large corporations controlling entire production cycles. These businesses, typified by Carnegie Steel and Standard Oil, grew under the social darwinism ethos, affecting enterprises by encouraging monopolies and altering the industrial landscape profoundly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Big business emerged during the Industrial Revolution mainly due to the capitalist economies that began to flourish at the time. The presence of significant capital allowed business owners to invest in large corporations, which could control the entire production cycle of their industries — from raw materials to retail. This epoch saw the birth of businesses like the Carnegie Steel Company and the Standard Oil Company, which rose by cutting costs, raising profits, maintaining meager wages, and thus, dominating their respective markets.
The rise of big business had profound effects on commerce and labor. Wealthy entrepreneurs, sometimes known as robber barons, exploited new technologies and often operated with little to no government intervention, an approach stemming from the concept of social darwinism. This period was characterized by a lack of regulation which enabled these corporations to crush competition and accumulate vast wealth.
Ultimately, these monopolistic practices revolutionized American industry, but also led to the exploitation of workers and a massive concentration of wealth. It shaped the enterprise landscape, setting in motion a trend towards towering corporate entities that still persists today.