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May 1886
Workers at McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. have gone on strike and hold a mass meeting in market square to protest police brutality toward strikers
Unknown anarchist in the crowd throws a bomb, killing police and civilians and causing the police to open fire
Eight "anarchists" are put on trial, five hanged, three jailed and later pardoned
Leads to "red scare" (concern about Communists) and to the downfall of the Knights of Labor |
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1892
Andrew Carnegie leaves Frick in charge of his factories in Homestead, PA. Frick cuts the workers' pay by 20%, angering them and leading to a strike. The city refuses to send cops, so Frick calls in the Pinkertons, which leads to mayhem. Federal troops arrive, breaking the union and imprisoning workers. The union ultimately caves, wages are cut, and the workday is lengthened. Alexander Berkman later attempts to kill Frick and is imprisoned (later pardoned). |
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May 1894
George Pullman's company town is meant to be a model community, but when company cuts wages while maintaining rent and bills, the workers vote to strike. Around the country, RR workers boycotted Pullman cars, refuse to use them or help patrons on those cars. Gov't says that they are interfering with mail > federal offense > leads to violence. Union is organized by Eugene V. Debs. As violence escalates, federal troops are sent in to disperse strikers in Pullman as well as sympathy strikers elsewhere. Debs is arrested. |
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| Inventor who is interested in the science of hearing and in 1876 invents the telephone. This leads to his company, the Bell Telephone Co., having a monopoly of the telephone business. |
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| Inventor who makes electricity accessible to all Americans, refining the light bulb-in 1878, and also inventing the phonograph, motion picture, and Dictaphone. Electric lights change entire culture of American cities (light the night). |
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| Business magnate who was known to the public as "The Worst Man in the World" and seemed to gain his wealth thru the work of others. Uses a tanning business and creative financial moves to rise quickly, then moves to stock trading (becomes known for bribery and threats). He then moves into the RR business, taking over the Erie RR Co. and the US Express Co. (in this case, by tricking stockholders) which he almost immediately sells off. He then acquires the Union Pacific RR, in which he becomes known for wage cuts and strike breaking. He is characterized as a swindler (manipulates elections, buys newspapers). |
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| Business magnate whose Standard Oil Co. controls majority of the oil market, due to Rockefeller securing preferential rates from RRs and buying up stocks of opponents, until he controls 90% of the industry. |
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| Business magnate who was known to be the "richest man in the world", having worked his way up from poor Scottish immigrant to factory work to telegraph operator, until he is hired by the superintendent of Pennsylvania RR to serve as his secretary. While working in the RR, he begins to invest and build his fortune. After visiting a steel plant in the UK, he becomes the first to mass produce it in the US, building a huge business empire, which he eventually sells off to JP Morgan. Was known as both a heavy handed administrator of his workers and and great philanthropist (wrote "The Gospel of Wealth"). |
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| Superintendent under Carnegie at the Carnegie Steel Co. > less fair to workers > leads to Homestead Strike |
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| Supporter of Social Darwinism who stated that individuals must have the freedom to struggle. He did not believe in charity and felt that state funds were wasted in providing welfare (feels this hurts the middle class). Writes "Folkways" in 1906, which argues for the removal of the weak. Leaders of big business support Sumner's ideas (validate their success and the means to it). |
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| Author who supports the American Dream and the Protestant work ethic with his 100+ novels about the "self-made" man |
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| Those businessmen who seemed to make their fortunes through honest hard work and spread it down thru the class system (i.e. Carnegie) |
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| Those businessmen who seemed to make their fortunes through the exploitation of other (i.e. Gould and, to some extent, Rockefeller) |
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New religious philosophy
Russell H. Comwell writes sermon "Acres of Diamonds" > states that the poor could be wealthy if they tried, or they are flawed and do not deserve success (rich should not help them) and that wealth is a sign of God's approval (validates Big Business)
Carnegie writes "The Gospel of Wealth" > disagrees with Comwell, says that while inequality is natural and good, the wealthy must help the poor to help themselves |
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The idea that they strong with naturally survive in society while the weak die off
Supported by Herbert Spencer (British economist, often giving credit for being the first to apply "The Origin of Species" to society) and William Graham Sumner |
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| Law that was designed to limit trade monopolies but is loosely interpreted and instead applied to trade unions (considered monopolies > gives gov't excuse to break them up) |
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| Law that suspends immigration and prohibits naturalization of Chinese in America (one of the first US laws to limit immigration based on origin or race) |
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| Labor organizer who founded the AFL, working his way up from organizing cigar workers, to leading their union, to combining their union with others to form AFL (wants the labor force to have the power to transform the status of the working class) |
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1869 to c. 1886
Founded by Terrence Powderly
Wants to bring all wage workers together > educate them on how they can do better, promote cooperative, worker-run factories
Favor 8 hour workday, peaceful boycotts and strikes, end to child/convict labor, increase in greenbacks, equal pay, safety codes, end to foreign labor/national bank
Against drinking and gambling
Hurt by involvement of anarchists @ Haymarket Square riot (before that, most pwrful confederation of unions in 19th cent) |
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| American Federation of Labor |
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1880s to 1955
Founded by Samuel Gompers
Cater to skilled workers and want to represent workers in terms of nat'l legislation and a nat'l strike fund. Evangelize union cause and work to mediate/prevent disputes btwn craft unions and btwn management and labor. Advocate closed shops (where everyone must belong to union).
In 1955, join with Congress of Industrial Organization to form AFL-CIO |
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| Industrial Workers of the World |
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Radical socialist trade union founded by Debs, Bill Haywood, Mother Jones, and Daniel de Leon
They follow the ideas of Marxism and believe in pwr of unions for all, the strike, and education of workers |
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| Originally a labor organizer (known for involvement in American RR Union and the Pullman Strike). Following the Pullman Strike he was imprisoned and during that time decided that the wage system itself was flawed and turned to socialism. He attempts to create a utopian community, which fails. He then goes on to form the IWW and a socialist political party, thru which he runs for president in 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 (from jail), and 1920. |
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Symbol of the new industrial age
Combines function and form in a way that excites artists and writers
Also speeds creation of suburbs and outer boroughs, since it makes leaving the city easier |
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The feeling that only native-born Americans deserve to live in America
Leads to hostility and violence toward new immigrants, which is heightened by worries that these immigrants will take American jobs |
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| Law that introduces a civil service test in order to cut down on patronage and corruption |
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| Practice of giving jobs to loyal party members and personal friends as a way of showing favor, rather than based on ability to do the job |
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Period of time from the 1870s to beginning of 20th cent
Term has 2 meanings
1. Politics during this time were fine on the surface but underneath corruption and bribery were rampant
2. This was a time during which the middle and upper classes were on the rise > time of opulence and ridiculous spending |
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A boss of the NYC Democratic Party who lead the Tweed Ring in steeling millions from the city treasury and received numerous bribes and kickbacks from contractors and businessmen
Symbol of corrupt times |
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| New tenement design with increased ventilation > improves incidence of disease and air quality in city slums |
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| New York City and Ellis Island |
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This was the main entrance into the country for new immigrants
Names are recorded and papers checked at Ellis Island, where some are turned away due to exclusionary laws or diseases. This was mainly an entrance for European and African immigrants (Asian immigrants come in at Angel Island in San Francisco). |
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| Causes of Industrialization in the US |
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1. Steam Revolution of the 1830s to 1850s > power for industry
2. Railroads > fuel US economy, first big business, those who make fortune here (Vanderbilts) invest in new industry later, opens the West
3. Technological innovations > esp. the Bessemer process, refrigerated cars, electric lights, alternate current, transportation (cars, planes)
4. Abundant unskilled labor force > mainly from large # of immigrants
5. Abundant capital > funds industry
6. New, talented entrepreneurs and advisers
7. Market grows as population increases
8. Government willing to stimulate economic growth > land grants, subsidies, etc.
9. Abundant natural resources > land, wood, ores, oil, etc. |
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| Characteristics of Urban Areas in the 1900s |
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Cities are:
~ Huge and growing
~ Diverse (immigrants settle all over, but many stay in urban areas)
~ Dense (most workers live in tenements, which fit as many people/square foot as possible)
~ Moneyed (some districts have fancy shops and homes > Fifth Ave in NYC)
~ Flammable (many have to rebuild after huge fires > Chicago Fire in 1871)
~ Beautiful (new architecture movement rebuilds many buildings, creates new landmarks)
~ Tall (skyscrapers becomes new norm as steel becomes cheaper and people become more numerous)
~ Dirty (streets are full of human and animal waste, as well as rotting food, much of which is dumped into rivers, and the air is full of smoke)
~ Loud (noise levels rise with every new resident)
~ Dangerous (starvation, disease, and crime are all significant, esp. in slums) |
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Police reporter for New York City newspaper who switches from crime to reform as he begins to showcase the horrors of the NYC slums
One of the first to use photography to capture the poor, puts photographs together in his book "How the Other Half Lives" |
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| President Rutherford B. Hayes |
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Definition
Hayes was the Republican nominee in the 1876 election, which was highly contested. Tilden, his opponent, received majority of popular vote, but Republicans challenge total in electoral college, especially the votes from FL, LA, SC, and OR. In January 1877 it was determined that Congress would decide > form Electoral Commission (5 senators, 5 reps, 5 justices > 8 Republicans, 7 Democrats) which votes along party lines and elects Hayes
Democrats are angry but agree to Hayes taking office if he promises to end Recon and support growth in South
Hayes does so (leads to Republican abandonment of freedmen, Radicals, and southern supporters and seems to nullify Civil Rights Acts and 14th and 15th Amendments) |
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1912
Factory workers in Lawrence, MA want a wage increase of 15 cents/hour, double pay for overtime, end to discrimination against past strikers and foreign workers, and end to "speed up"
Their union is part of the IWW, which sends in men to advise the strikers
News comes in that anarchists have planted dynamite around the city (it was actually the local undertaker) and the IWW suggests that the workers get their families out
At the train station, face down the national guard, which fires on the women and children
This news goes national and the factory owners concede (union wins) |
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| Founder of the Knights of Labor |
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| American author who coins the term "The Gilded Age" |
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Socialist leader along with Eugene Debs who felt that even violence was justified to end capitalism
Ends up leaving the US for the Soviet Union, where he dies |
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Socialist leader along with Eugene Debs whose real name was Mary Harris
Known as a motherly woman who loved children and worked especially hard at that cause
Begins by organizing miners and then attracting women to the idea of unions
In 1898, she helped found the Social Democratic Party |
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Scandal during the Grant administration
Union Pacific RR forms a fake construction company called the Credit Mobilier and get government funding for supposed projects (hire themselves to build a RR line) |
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1873 to c. 1878 (65 months)
Triggered by over-expansion (especially in the railroad business)
Banking house of Jay Cooke and Co. fails in September, leading other banks to fold (by 1876, half of all RRs have defaulted on bonds)
Unemployment soars (factories close)
Farmers are also hurt as prices and land values fall (can't repay loans)
Leads to increased class tensions |
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Symbol of modern city
Efficient > more people can work or live in them per square foot
Made possible by Bessemer process and the Carnegie Steel Co. |
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1867
Johnson vetoes the Recon Acts, which are passed anyway, and MS asks for an injunction preventing him from enforcing them. The Court refuses, since it does not have the jurisdiction to interfere with the President's duties. |
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1872
Myra Bradwell asserts her right to practice law in IL, based on the 14th Amendment. It is decided that the amendment did not protect the right to practice law (did not actually refer to gender, though it may have affected decision). This is the first case that relates the 14th to women's rights. |
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1873
LA creates a partial monopoly of the slaughtering business, giving it to a single company and hurting other companies. The Court determines, however, that labor disputes are for the state to deal with and that the smaller companies are not protected by the 14th Amendment against interference by the state. |
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1875
In Jan. 1873, election workers refused to let a black man, William Garner, vote, claiming that he had not paid the poll tax (he had attempted to and they had refused his money). Under the Enforcement Act, a black man who is refused the right to vote could submit an affidavit, but Garner's is not accepted. Court rules that the Enforcement Act is too broad and dismisses the indictments, which leads to increase in Jim Crowe laws. |
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1876
In 1873, a group of white Democrats, most involved in the KKK, attacked black Republicans gathered in Colfax, LA, killing more than 100. The Court is asked if the freedmen would have been protected by the 1st, 2nd, and 14th Amendments. The Court declares that the 14th is only meant to apply to state actions, not individual ones (overturns convictions), that the 1st Amendment was not meant to limit state gov't, and that the 2nd Amendment only limits the gov't; it doesn't grant the right to bear arms. This leads to a more hostile environment for black Americans and an increase in Jim Crowe laws. The decision was overturned in 2008. |
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1877
IL had created laws to regulate rates for grain warehouses and elevators, which owners felt denied them their full rights. The Court disagrees, stating that states can regulate private property for the public good. One of the Granger Cases, which occurred during the Populist movement. |
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| Wabash, St. Louis, and Pacific Railroad v. Illinois |
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1886
A law is passed in IL that tries to regulate railroad rates. The Court rules that this interferes with Congress' right to regulate interstate commerce. Part of the Granger Cases, this case resends the result of Munn v. IL and leads to the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission (first regulatory agency). |
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1886
Congress had passed Major Crimes Act in 1883 (grants federal courts jurisdiction over Native American crimes). A Native American named Kagama was tried for murder and challenged the jurisdiction of the court based on the Major Crimes Act's constitutionality. The Court determines that since all the power given to reservations came from the federal government, the government had this authority over the Native Americans. This reaffirms the idea that Indians are inferior and that the government has the right to pass legislation that limits their rights |
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1895
The EC Knight Company had created a monopoly of sugar refinement. However, since this was a manufacturing monopoly and not a trade one, it was decided that this was not prohibited under the Sherman Anti-Trust (continues loose interpretation of this law) |
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1896
A Louisiana law prohibiting black people from riding in "white" train cars is challenged by Homer Plessy, who was 7/8 Caucasian and had refused to move to the black car. Court rules in favor of the law, saying that because of its separate-but-equal conditions, it was constitutional. Continues to support growth of segregation, later overturned by NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall. |
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1901
One of the Insular Cases, which dealt with the rights of American territories, especially economic rights. Stated that a import duty for Puerto Rico (did not exist in any other state) was constitutional, since the gov't had the power to impose any laws on the territories, even those that would not be allowed in the states. |
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| Northern Securities Co. v. US |
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1904
Northern Securities Company forms RR monopoly and is dissolved by the government. The company appeals, but the Court upholds the decision, for once using the Sherman Anti-Trust for its designated purpose |
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1905
The state of NY creates a law that limits the hours of bakers to 10 hours/day. Court says that attempting to control work hours violates contract rights in the 14th Amendment, which causes a setback for the working class and labor unions. |
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1908
OR enacts a law that limits the work hours of women in factories and laundries to 10 hours/day. The Court rules this as constitutional, feeling that a different rule must be applied to women. Reinforces thoughts of the day that placed women below men |
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1919
During WWI, Schenck sent out circulars to draftees that criticized the draft. He was accused under the Espionage Act of trying to obstruct recruitment and hurt the war effort. The Court concurred with this, stating that Schenck was not protected by the 1st Amendment, which lessens the strength of this amendment due to use of the "clear and present danger" rule |
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