Chapter 6 section 4

Chapter 6 section 4

The Rise of Labor Unions

The National Trades Union

The National Labor Union

The Knights of Labor

The American Federation of Labor

The Industrial Workers of the World

The Great Strikes

The Great RR Strike of 1877

The Haymarket Square Riot

The Homestead Strike

The Pullman Strike

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS1. What impact did industrialization have on the gulf between rich and

poor?

2. What were the goals of the early labor unions in the United States?

3. Why did Eugene V. Debs organize the American Railway Union?

4. What were the causes and outcomes of the major strikes in the late 1800s?

THE BIG IDEAIn the late 1800s, workers organized labor unions

to improve their wages and working conditions.

Chapter 6 section 4

KEY TERMS:

1. Socialism2. National Trades Union3. Collective Bargaining4. “closed shop”5. “yellow dog” contracts6. The American Railway Union7. Scabs8. Anarchists

KEY PEOPLE:

1. Eugene V. Debs2. Pinkertons

Chapter 6 section 4

How did poor families respond to the unequal distribution of wealth between rich and poor?

How did poor families respond to the unequal distribution of wealth between rich and poor?

Some sufferedin silence,tomorrow would be

better.

Others became politically active totry to improve their

lives.

A few were drawnto the idea of

socialism

Definition of Socialism –

Explain the Socialist view of wealth.a.

b.

– is an economic and political philosophy that favors public instead of private control of property and income.

Explain the Socialist view of wealth. They believe that society at large, not just private individuals, should take charge of a nation’s wealth.

That wealth should be distributed equally to everyone.

Definition of Socialism

a.

b.

Explain how each of the following responded to socialism.

Most Americans

Wealthy Americans

Politicians

MostWorkers

Explain how each of the following responded to socialism.

Most AmericansOpposedsocialism

Wealthy Americans

Saw it as a threatto their fortunes

PoliticiansSaw it as a threat

to public order

MostWorkers

Saw it as a threatto American ideasof private property,free enterprise, &individual liberty

The Rise of Labor UnionsThe Knights

Of LaborThe American

Federation of LaborIndustrial Workers

Of The World

YearFormed

Organized/Membership

Leader

Goal(s)

Tactics

LostSupport

The Rise of Labor UnionsThe Knights

Of LaborThe American

Federation of LaborIndustrial Workers

Of The World

YearFormed

Organized/Membership

Leader

Goal(s)

Tactics

LostSupport

1869 - Philadelphia

men, women, skilled& unskilled, farmers& factory workers African Americans

Terence Powderly

broad social reformsequal pay for equal work 8 hr. workday, end child labor

Not to strikepolitical activity &education.

Failed strikes, someof them violent.

1886

Craft union. only skilledWorkers. No Women. African Americans not welcomed.

Samuel Gompers

Workers’ wages, hours,and working conditions.Bread-and-butter unionism

Economic pressure –Strikes and boycotts

Big Bill Haywood

1905 Chicago

Unskilled workers,Women, immigrantsAfrican Americans

Strikes, boycotts, and violence

Violent strikes & promoting strikesduring war.

Promote worker solidarity, end the wagesystem, over throw the employing class

Industrialization caused great inequalities in wealth in the late 19th century. Big business owners grew wealthy while workers toiled for low wages.

1. How did workers try to improve their wages and working conditions?

2. Explain why you think workers resented the wealth of business owners.

3. Early labor unions began by providing help for their members in bad times, but soon became the means for expressing workers’ demands to employers. What were these early demands?

Industrialization caused great inequalities in wealth in the late 19th century. Big business owners grew wealthy while workers toiled for low wages.

1. How did workers try to improve their wages and working conditions?

2. Explain why you think workers resented the wealth of business owners.

3. Early labor unions began by providing help for their members in bad times, but soon became the means for expressing workers’ demands to employers. What were these early demands?

Answers will vary. The gulf between rich and poor. The unequaldistribution of wealth created a wide gulf in the standard of living between the industrialists and working class.

Some became socialists or anarchists. Far more workers chose towork within the system by forming labor unions.

Shorter workdays, higher wages, and better working conditions.

4. Explain how socialism and labor unions were different approaches to solving the problems of workers.

5. Explain how socialism and anarchism promised to improve workers’ lives but ran counter to some American ideals.

6. What did labor unions do to address workers’ problems?

4. Explain how socialism and labor unions were different approaches to solving the problems of workers.

5. Explain how socialism and anarchism promised to improve workers’ lives but ran counter to some American ideals.

6. What did labor unions do to address workers’ problems?

Socialists hoped to see all Americans share equally in the nation’s wealth.The labor movement worked mostly within the free market system, attempting to attain fair treatment for workers and owners.

Socialism and anarchism believed that society at large, not just privateindividuals, should take charge of a nation’s wealth. They believedthat people should cooperate, not compete, in producing goods.These beliefs are in stark contrast to the American ideals of privateproperty, free enterprise, and individual liberty.

Try to help their members through political activity, education, andEconomic pressure, such as strikes and boycotts.

7. Describe the public reaction to the strikes.

8. What steps did employers take to fight labor unions?

9. What pattern of events did the Pullman Strike set in motion?

7. Describe the public reaction to the strikes.

8. What steps did employers take to fight labor unions?

9. What pattern of events did the Pullman Strike set in motion?

a. They disallowed union meetingsb. Fired union organizersc. Forced new employees to sign yellow dog contractsd. Refused to bargain collectively or recognize unions as workers’

legitimate representatives.

The American public came to associate unions in generalwith violence and radical ideas. They would not support theViolent activities of unions.

In the years ahead, factory owners appealed frequently for court ordersagainst unions. The federal gov’t regularly approved these appeals, denying unions recognition as legally protected organizations. This limited union gains for more than 30 years.

Lockoutblacklist

Strikes Rock The NationHaymarket

RiotHomestead

StrikePullman

Strike

Who

What

When

Where

Why

How

Strikes Rock The NationHaymarket

RiotHomestead

StrikePullman

Strike

Who

What

When

Where

Why

How

Groups of striking workers, Scabs, anarchists, police-officers

A national demonstrationfor an 8hr. WorkdayA protest rally.

May 1st – May 4th 1886

Chicago’s McCormickReaper factory & Chicago’s Haymarket Square

A fight between strikers &Scabs. Police caused injuries. Protest, bomb, gun fire, deaths

Someone threw a bombinto a police formation

Striking Carnegie steel workers, Henry Frick,PinkertonsCut wages, strike,Pinkertons try to break the strike, gun fire, deaths

July 1 – Nov. 20, 1892

Carnegie Steel PlantHomestead, PA

Wage cuts and the Pinkertons

Frick wanted to defeatthe union. Hired thePinkertons.

George Pullman, strikingworkers, A.R.U. Debbs,Att. Gen. Olney, PresidentCleveland, fed. troops Depression 1893, laid offworkers, cut wages, firedworkers, boycott, fed. troops sent

May 1894 - July 1894

Chicago, a boycott ofPullman cars throughoutthe country.

Laid off workers, cut wages, fired workers,striking workers, ShermanAntitrust Act, fed. troops

The strike interfered withthe nation’s mail

Homestead Steel Strike-189215:01

10. Why do you think the federal government was friendly to the industrialists even when much of the public did not support

them?

11. How did the emergence of beliefs in social Darwinism and/or socialism reflect the new challenges facing American society

in the late 1800s?

12. What challenges did labor unions have to overcome in order to achieve their main goals?

10. Why do you think the federal government was friendly to the industrialists even when much of the public did not support

them?

11. How did the emergence of beliefs in social Darwinism and/or socialism reflect the new challenges facing American society

in the late 1800s?

12. What challenges did labor unions have to overcome in order to achieve their main goals?

Because of their contributions to the rising wealth of the country and the political power/influence wielded by many of the industrialists.

Social Darwinism reflected free enterprise and laissez faire.Socialism emphasized the problems of wealth and the desire for its equaldistribution to all, preserving the greater good rather than individual success.

a. They had to overcome their differences in order to remain united;b. Deal with hostile employers who attempted to stop all union activity;c. Face disapproval by the federal government.

As a team, discuss the following question and be ready to share your answer with the class.

How successful were labor unions at the end of the century?

Labor unions had only limited success at that time. They brought many

of labor’s pressing issues to light, but often met with violence and

government opposition during strikes.

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877