question

From what parts of Europe did most of the immigrants arrive?

answer

Central/eastern Europe; from Russia, Italy, Austro-Hungarian Empire (i.e., Poles, Czechs, Serbs, etc).

question

What were the principal problems that workers in America faced?

answer

(1) Low wages/long hours (2) poor, unsafe, working conditions (3) constant fear of unemployment (4) impersonalization of employer/employee relations (5) differences among workers--(i) skilled vs. unskilled (ii) nat'l, ethnic, racial differences (iii) anti-labor attitude of business (and public) (6) anti-labor attitude of public (7) anti-labor attitude of gov't.

question

In what way did the legislative branches of gov't work against the interests of workers in the late 1800s (i.e., what particularly did they refuse to grant to workers)?

answer

Refused to give workers right of collective bargaining (i.e., right to form labor unions w/ which owners must negotiate). (W/o such right, unions, particularly unions of unskilled workers, have little possibility of effective action.)

question

What is an "injunction?" How did the judiciary use injunctions to serve the cause of owners against workers?

answer

A court order commanding a person or persons not to commit an anticipated act. Courts use "injunctions" to jail strike leaders; break strikes. (Owners get injunction against strikes--now a legal matter; jail leaders.)

question

What were the long- and short-term goals of The Knights of Labor?

answer

Long-term goal: Same as NLU--gov't ownership of resources, worker ownership of factories. (But does not advocate force/violence to achieve.) Short-term goal: wants immediate, practical, benefits of capitalist system like higher wages, shorter hours, better working conditions.

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question

What event caused the Knights of Labor to disappear as a union so dramatically and suddenly?

answer

Haymarket Riot, 1886--peaceful labor rally. Local police captain sends 200 policemen to end rally, bomb thrown; panic, shooting. Some killed, 100 wounded. Panic across city; fear beginning of radical revolution. Many arrested, but non accused of throwing bomb; were convicted c/c of anarchist, socialist, views, writings, etc. Public anger directed at unions; particularly at K of L. Membership rapidly declines; union disappears.

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question

What important labor union--one that still-exists--developed in the same year that the K of L disappeared? What accounted for its immediate success and fact that it is today part of the dominant labor organization of America, i.e., what is its philosophy?

answer

American Federation of Labor (AF of L), formed in 1886 by Samuel Gompers (leader of cigarmakers union). Philosophy: Demands only practical, immediate, benefits of capitalist system (i.e., higher wages, shorter hours, better working conditions.) Fully accepts capitalist system. (1995, AF of L joins w/ CIO to form today's AF of L/CIO).

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question

What was the name of the major strike of 1892 that developed in a steel mill owned by Andrew Carnegie's company? The strike was settled by the use of nat'l guard troops.

answer

Homestead Strike; in Pennsylvania.

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question

In 1984, a nationwide RR strike shut down the RRs, and ultimately involved the use of the US Army against American citizens. What name was given to this strike?

answer

Pullman Strike.

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History 1302 – Labor Movement – Flashcards

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