Chapter 17: Industrialization and Labor - PDF

Chapter 17 Haymarket Square Riots: May 4th 1886 Chicago. 7 policemen and 4 protesters were killed In clash with anarchists (anti government) rallying against police violence trying to break up strikes. American Federation of Labor (AFL): Trade union founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers, sought to org...

Chapter 17 Haymarket Square Riots: May 4th 1886 Chicago. 7 policemen and 4 protesters were killed In clash with anarchists (anti government) rallying against police violence trying to break up strikes. American Federation of Labor (AFL): Trade union founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers, sought to organize skilled workers into trade-specific unions. Homestead strike: 1892 strike by steelworkers at Andrew Carnegie’s Homestead steel factory, near Pittsburgh PA that collapsed after a failed assassination attempt on the plant manager, Henry Frick. Pullman strike: 1894 strike by workers against the Pullman railcar company. When the strike disrupted rail service nationwide, threatening the delivery of the mail, President Grover Cleveland ordered federal troops to get the railroads moving again. Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC): Regulatory commission established by Congress in 1887. That investigated interstate shipping, required railroads to make their rates public, and could bring lawsuits to force shippers to reduce “unreasonable” fares. Populists: sought to appeal to both farmers and industrial workers by endorsing a graduated income tax, and 8 hr work day immigration restriction and women’s suffrage. Depression of 1893: Severe economic downturn triggered by railroad and bank failures. The severity of the depression, combined with the failure of the federal government to offer an adequate response, led to the realignment of American politics. Coxey’s army: spring 1894 protest movement led by populist reformer Jacob Coxey, who marched with five hundred supporters from Ohio to Washington, D.C., to protest the lack of government response to the depression of 1893. 1,3,4,6 1.​ How did industrialization change the American workplace? What challenges did it create for American workers? a.​ Industrialization transformed the American workplace by shifting from small-scale, skilled labor to large-scale factory production driven by machines and assembly lines. This increased efficiency but also led to repetitive, specialized tasks for workers. It created challenges such as poor working conditions, long hours, low wages, and job insecurity due to mechanization replacing skilled labor. Additionally, labor unions emerged to fight for workers' rights in response to these hardships. 3. Why was life so difficult for American farmers in the late nineteenth century?  b.​ Life was difficult for American farmers in the late nineteenth century due to falling crop prices, mounting debt, and economic instability caused by overproduction. Railroads and grain storage companies often held monopolies, charging high rates that further strained farmers financially. Additionally, isolation and limited social interaction made rural life challenging, prompting farmers to seek collective support through organizations like the Grangers and Farmers’ Alliances.​ 4. What were the similarities and differences between farmers’ and industrial workers’ efforts to organize in the late nineteenth century? c.​ Both farmers and industrial workers organized to combat economic hardship and political disenfranchisement, but their approaches differed. Industrial workers formed labor unions to demand better wages, hours, and working conditions, while farmers created cooperatives and alliances to fight against low crop prices, high railroad fees, and debt. Despite their shared struggle against big business, farmers focused more on political solutions like the subtreasury system and regulation, whereas industrial workers primarily sought labor rights through strikes and collective bargaining. 6. What were the long-term political consequences of the depression of 1893? d.​ The Depression of 1893 led to a major political realignment, with Republicans becoming the dominant party from 1896 to 1932 by forming a coalition of big business and urban workers. The Populist Party collapsed after failing to unite farmers and industrial workers, though many of its reform ideas later influenced the Progressive Era. In the South, Democrats solidified power by implementing voter suppression laws, including literacy tests and poll taxes, to disenfranchise Black and poor white voters. This period reinforced the divide between industrial and agrarian interests, shaping American politics for decades.