1886

Samuel Gompers

"Straight' trade union avoiding politics made up of local craft and trade skilled workers. Used collective bargaining to obtain higher wages, shorter hours and better working conditions. Earliest and most successful union in America today. Merged with the CIO in 1935 to become the AFL/CIO.

American Protective Society

1887-1911

Clinton, IA

Secret Society whose goal was to oppose the influence of Roman Catholicism in labor and politics.

Largest nativist group of the period.

1895

Atlanta, GA

Booker T. Washington

Advised blacks to stop fighting segregation and second-class citizenship and concentrate on learning useful skills. Progress up the social ladder would come from self-improvement. Asked whites to lend a helping hand and Washington obtained funding for the Tuskegee Institute. Policy of accommodation, but also an inspiration of Black nationalism.

1876

MT
Custer/Sittin Bull/Crazy Horse/ Sioux

"Custer's Last Stand" resulted from Indian opposition to white invasion of sacred Black Hills area with discovery of gold in 1874. Union of Sioux and other tribes resulted in major Indian victory (and last Indian victory) against US army.

1890

SD
Sioux/Wovoka

Indian prophet Wovoka promised to restore Sioux dominance of the Plains if they would follow the Ghost Dance religion. Movement caused alarm among whites and was banned. Army attempted to arrest Indian cultists at Wounded Knee and when resistance occurred, Cavalry killed all of the Indians (over 200). Last major battle of the Indian wars.

1882

CA/Western states

No Chinese were allowed to enter the United States for 10 years (renewed every ten years up until WWII). Could not become citizens. Pres. Arthur vetoes, but passed anyway. Example of discrimination toward Asians and movement to restrict immigration in this period.

1864

Sand Creek, CO

Col. Chivington

1,000 volunteers attack legal camp of Cheyenne and Araphoe and kill over 200 men, women and children. Retaliation for raids against white settlers without proff these were the guilty tribes. Example of government policy toward Indian Treaties, brutal treatment of the Indians and unjustified massacres.

1859-1880

 Nevada

Henry Comstock

Largest silver and gold find in US history. Half a billion dollars went to wealt mine-owning families who built palatial homes and banking instutions in San Francisco.

1871

US

Union Pacific RR/Congressman Oakes Ames

This was a corrupt railroad construction company of the Union Pacific Railroad. Railroad gave the company a very profitable contract that almost caused the railroad to go broke. In an attempt to cover up this scandal, the railroad owners bribed Congressman with stock. One of the worst corrupt scandals of the Grant administration.

1887

Western Territories

Sen. Dawes (MA)

Broke up the Indian tribal reservations by redistributing the land to individuals: each Indian head of familiy would receive 160 acres and citizenship after 25 years. Plan attempting to end tribal culture by making farmers of the Indians failed. Effectively ended tribal government.

Eugene Debs

1855-1926

IN
Union leader/Socialist

Head of the American Railway Union and leader of the workers in the Pullman Strike of 1894. Founded the American Socialist Party and ran as its Presidential candidate five times. Defender of those  charged with sedition during WWi resulted in his own imprisonment. Outspoken defender of freedom of speech and the rights of workers.

1861-1932

WI

Historian

Wrote an essay The Significance of the Frontier on American History. It outlined influence of the frontier on American life and beliefs and also the impact of the close of the frontier. Included the "safety valve" theory that the west provided an outlet for discontented workers. With the close of this safety valve (frontier ends in 1890) the less fortunate remained in the east leading to problems in the cities, overcrowding, immigration restrictions and the growth of labor unions. Essay was influential in explaining how America had developed a distinctive culture and democracy.

1907

CA
T. Roosevelt

San Francisco segregated Japanese students in public schools which was insulting to the Japanese. Emperor of Japan complains to Pres. T. Roosevelt and they reach a compromise: Students can attend same schools, Japan agrees to limit number of immigrants to US. Restricted immigration of Asians to US: Discrimination.

1864-1943

MO
African-American Chemist

Internationally famous for helping improve the southern economy by discovering hundreds of new uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes and soy beans.

1865-1880s

US

Mark Twain

A time period characterized by emphasis on get-rich-quick methods of doing busines. On the surface, the US appeared to be doing well, but below the "gilded" surface, social and economic problems were growing. Period was marked by increased national wealth and cultural achievements.

1877

Baltimore & Ohio RR/Pres. Hayes

Workers went on strike to protest wage cuts. President Hayes sent Federal troops to run the railroads, strike was broken and workers returned to work for lower wages. First time US troops used to break a strike.

1880

US

Blaine/Garfield/Republican Party

Wanted Civil Service reform and a more liberal policy toward the South. Regarded as weakness by other Republicans. Splits the Republican Party.

1886

Chicago, IL

McCormick Harvester/August Spies

Knights of Labor strike to obtain an 8 hour day. Mass meeting held in Haymarket Square resulted in violence and a bombing. Union leaders arrested and executed for murder (no evidence they were actually involved.) Slowed movement for 8-hour day and results in end of the Knights of Labor.

Helen Hunt Jackson

1881 (1830-1885)

 MA

Author

In 1881 wrote A Century of Dishonor about the shameful manner of the US government's ruthless dealings with the Indians. Treaties were invariably broken first by the US government.

1892

Homestead, PA
Henry Frick/Carnegie

Workers' strike over a wage cut. Plant is closed and armed Pinkerton Detectives brought in. Violence results. PA sends in militias, strike is broken and union destroyed. Classic pattern of preventing unions from effectively striking or improving plight of workers during this period.

1832-1899

MA
Author

Wrote over 100 novels supporting the "rags-to-riches" myth that if people did not succeed in America they had only themselves to blame. Novels were influential in promoting America as a Land of Opportunity where success was a result of hard work and virtuous living.

1882

US

First general law governing immigration. Prevented entry of convicts, insane or public charges. First attempt to limit immigration.

1890's

US

Pres. Cleveland opposed

Anti-immigrant group mainly against new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Eruope. Proposed a liteacy test to keep out "unruly agitator." Example of anti-immigrant sentiment, discrimination and call for restrictions.

1871

Gave ownership of Indian reservation lands to Indian tribes.

1874

IL

Inventor

In 1874 developed a superior type of barbed wire that gave the farmer greater protection against wandering cattle. Ended the "long drives" and made it possible to improve stock and the profitability of cattle ranching and stock farming on the plains.

1869

Philadelphia, PA

Uriah Stevens/Terrence Powderly

First strong and successful labor union made up of all workers. Successful in early railroad strikes. Ends with violent Haymarket strike.

1864-1867

Mexico/US/France

Maxmillian was Napoleon III's puppet emperor controlling Mexico as a result of Mexico's failure to repay debts to France. Following the Civil War, the US gives notice it is now willing and able to enforce the Monroe Doctrine preventing European takeoevers in the Western Hemisphere. France withdraws with US threat of war.

1884

NY
Republican Party

Progressive Republicans who did not like the dishonest policies of conservative Republicans and James G. Blaine in particular. Split the party and Mugwumps support Democrat Cleveland who wins election.

1866-1872

Baltimore, MD

William Sylvis

Short-lived union of skilled and unskilled workers favoring cooperatives, 8 hour day, end to convict labor, restriction of immigration. More political objectives than labor and eventually becomes the National Labor Reform Party. Earliest of unions growing after the Civil War.

Nativism

1850s-1880s

US

Grand Army of the Republic (Civil War Vets)

Dislike of foreigners and new immigrants, anti-Catholics. General movement protesting radical foreign ideas and fear of the violence and anarchy these ideas might bring to America.

1905

NY
W.E.B. DuBois

Meeting of African-Americans opposed to racism and resentment of Booker T. Washington's conservative policies of accommodation. Said that obtaining equaily and political rights must occur first, social and economic equality will result. DuBois and Oswald Villard organized the formation of the NAACP in 1909 to obtain full political equality for blacks and and end to racial discrimination.

1883

US
Sen. Pendleton/Chester Arthur

Establishes a merit system for awarding government jobs. Ends worst aspects of political patronage and spoils system. First civil service reform law.

1896

LA
Chief Justice Fuller

Upheld a Louisiana law requiring railroads to provide separate accommodations for white and colored people. Ruled that the law did not deny equal protection of the law but was a proper exercise of the states' police power to maintain public order. Upheld Jim Crow laws and established the "Separate but Equal" doctrine.

1869

UT

Location at which the Central Pacific Railroad building from the west met the Union Pacific Railroad building from the east to complete the first transcontinental railroad.

Pullman Strike

1894

Chicago, IL

Eugene Debs/Pullman

Pullman Palace Car Company cut workers' wages and American Railway Union strikes. Nationwide boycott of trains prevented the delivery of the US mail. A "blanket" injunction issued to stop the strike; workers ignored; US Army sent to operate the trains. Strike was broken. Use of the injunction for the first time against the unions make strikes illegal and unions without power.

1884

NY
James G. Blaine

Minister introducing Republican candidate Blaine at a dinner in NYC described the Democrats as the party of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion. This phrase insulted the Irish, and other immigrant Catholics who voted against Blaine resulting in the loss of NY electors and a narow victory for Democrat Cleveland.

1877-1952

Southern states

Democrats

After the Civil War. the South became politically united under the Democratic Party. Blacks were restricted from voting giving the white Democrats control of government. Resentment from Radical Republican Reconstruction results in the South voting solidly Democratic in local, state and national elections until civil rights issues broke the hold beginning in the 1950's.

1880

US

Republicans/Roscoe Conkling

Supporters of Grant for President in 1880 who wanted to keep the spoils system. Called their Repulican opponents "half-breeds." Results in a party split and loss of the Presidential election of 1884.

1868-1890

Republicans

Republican campaign slogan in presidential elections to remind voters that the Democrats caused the Civil War and to vote Republican because they were the party that had preserved the Union.

1875

MO

Grant/Babcock

Distillers and Internal Revenue collectors were stealing tax money from the government. Some indication that Grant received gifts from the ring and money for his third campaign for President. One of the strong scandals involving corruption during Grant's administration.