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American Federation of Labor (American Labor Movement)

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The American Federation of Labor was founded in 1886. The purpose of this was to train people to do jobs that they would then work with other people in the union with the same trade. The purpose of this was to lower hours and have citizens get paid higher. They were also striving for better working conditions. This federation was founded by Samuel Gompers and it was highly successful.

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The Labor Movement

We've all had a job we weren't particularly fond of. Luckily, there are many protections that keep us safe at work and provide channels to pursue redress if we're treated unfairly. We can thank the American labor movement for many of these gains! In the late 19th century, the Knights of Labor was at the forefront of the movement for workers' rights.

Workers in the Gilded Age

It would be an understatement to say that work conditions in the Gilded Age, the period between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the year 1900, were difficult. Jobs such as an iron smelter or a railroad brakeman could easily get one killed or maimed. Workers at mechanized steam laundries, for instance, developed swelling and skin ulcers from the contaminated wash-water discharging over their arms and legs.

Even jobs that didn't hold the possibility of physical injury paid very little, required 12-hour shifts six days per week and offered none of the benefits we're accustomed to today, such as minimum wages, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, health coverage, or pensions. Finally, many industrial jobs had become de-skilled, meaning workers needed no special talents to perform them, and thus, they could be replaced quite easily.

In addition to these significant challenges, employers opposed unions. A union is a group of workers joining together to demand improved labor conditions. Unions can be effective through strength in numbers and by acting collectively. Many business owners considered unions a threat to their bottom line and an obstacle to staying competitive. Many employers also believed unions represented the opposite of the American virtues of independence and autonomy.

To combat union activity, many business leaders utilized several strategies. New hires were often forced to sign a 'yellow dog contract,' which effectively barred the worker from joining a union under the threat of being fired. Employers also shared 'blacklists,' which were a compilation of all the names of union activists in an area. And, if union members went on strike, owners employed strikebreakers to replace them in the factories.

The Rise of the Knights of Labor

To combat this dismal situation for workers, unions of the Gilded Age pursued two broad strategies. The first strategy attempted to organize mostly skilled tradesmen in a single job, such as carpenters or railroad brakemen. The second approach involved broader organization and attempted to bring together workers from a variety of jobs, both skilled and unskilled, and even those of different ethnicities, races, and/or genders. The Knights of Labor pursued this second strategy.

In the 1870s and 1880s, the Knights of Labor built the largest and most successful union in the United States, despite significant challenges in organizing. It was difficult to create a union across the huge geographical distances of the country and throughout the large scale of industrial enterprises. Also, the divides between the various occupations and groups of workers posed barriers to effective organization.

Uriah Stephens formed the Knights of Labor in 1869, but the union gained a national following when Terence Powderly assumed leadership. Powderly pursued the strategy of bringing in any and all workers into the union, thus creating the most broad-based union in the country. When Powderly presided over a successful Knights of Labor-led strike against railroads in the Southwest, the union's membership mushroomed from 100,000 in 1885 to 750,000 in 1886.

The strength of the Knights of Labor was focused mainly in the industrial areas of the Northeast and Midwest; St. Louis, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Omaha had particularly strong locals. Even in the South the union had a powerful presence in certain occupations, such as telegraphers. The Knights also had all-black, all-Italian, and all-Jewish locals. Lumbermen, stevedores, laundry-women, housekeepers, and many other industrial workers eagerly joined the growing ranks of the Knights of Labor.

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goals & leader - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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The Knights of Labor: Definition, History, Goals & Leader - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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We've all had a job we weren't particularly fond of. Luckily, there are many protections that keep us safe at work and provide channels to pursue redress if we're treated unfairly. We can thank the American labor movement for many of these gains!

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They were founded in 1869. They were a society of workers in Philadelphia. They wanted to set up factories and shops that would lead to common wealth for citizens. Although they planned on that it lead to working mostly on education. This was started by James Wright and Uriah Stephens.

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Scientific management involved each person do something efficiently to have better outcomes overall. This was to better production and repeat ability. This was used in factories and other industries. This was started by Fredrick Taylor in 1911.

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The New Consumer Culture
The rise of industry in the United States allowed people to access and consume goods as never before. It used to be difficult to attain things families needed but after the 1860's it became easier. Even families in the country (rural areas) were able to get things they hadn't before. Businesses had to compete for customers because there were many option for everything citizens wanted to buy. Newspapers included the  new products and even allowing full page coverage for one.
basics of consumer c
basics of consumer culture

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The Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873
This was a six year depression. This was similar to the great depression and decreased growth the economy.  Banks and industries were investing their money into the railroads then one big one shut down and it caused an economically panic. Citizens had to got through wage cuts , unemployment, racism and labor strikes. Jay Cooke was a big part of the panic. He was part of the company that shut down so when this happened a panic was caused.
📎 Financial Panic of 1873: Causes & Summary - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com
📎 Video

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The rise of industry in the United States allowed people to access and consume goods as never before. It used to be difficult to attain things families needed but after the 1860's it became easier. Even families in the country (rural areas) were able to get things they hadn't before. Businesses had to compete for customers because there were many option for everything citizens wanted to buy. Newspapers included the new products and even allowing full page coverage for one.

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basics of consumer culture

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This was a six year depression. This was similar to the great depression and decreased growth the economy.  Banks and industries were investing their money into the railroads then one big one shut down and it caused an economically panic. Citizens had to got through wage cuts , unemployment, racism and labor strikes. Jay Cooke was a big part of the panic. He was part of the company that shut down so when this happened a panic was caused.

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The Beginning of the Financial Panic of 1873

It is important to point out that the Panic of 1873 in the United States was part of a larger international economic depression. The pain the United States felt financially was matched across the ocean in Europe when the value of silver plummeted to uncontrollable levels. Our focus is going to be on the financial collapse in the United States.

Following the Civil War, the United States experienced a period of economic growth that was unmatched in its brief history. Employment rose substantially thanks to a remarkable business boom. Most of the economic success in the post-war years is attributed to the construction of railroads. Between the end of the war and the beginning of the financial collapse, railroad companies had laid over 30,000 miles of track, which included the major project of linking the Union Pacific and Central Pacific via the transcontinental railroad. When the aforementioned project was completed in 1869, investors began looking for an additional railroad project to invest in. This was the doomed Northern Pacific.

The Financial Collapse

It is safe to use the word unprecedented when discussing the financial collapse of the United States in 1873. There had been a series of economic downturns before (1837, 1857, and 1869), but nothing as far-reaching as this event.

So what happened?

Concisely, most financing firms in the United States invested heavily into the building of the Northern Pacific. Unfortunately, the firms ran out of capital and declared bankruptcy, which crippled the financial system of the United States.

Jay Cooke and Company of Philadelphia was the leading financial firm involved with the building of the Northern Pacific line. This was an organization that recorded great success as a Union bond marketing firm during the Civil War. The federal government rewarded the firm with the second transcontinental railroad for its reputable work. Cooke and Company managed to acquire upward of $100 million in investment bonds from European nations and private investors. Additionally, major banking institutions and public investment firms in the nation poured equity into the endeavor in the hopes of making a major profit. Unfortunately, Cooke and Company did not realize how large of an investment was needed in order to build a rail line (the land needed to be cleared, tracks needed to be laid, etc).

On September 18, 1873, Jay Cooke and Company realized it had exhausted its money as well as the money of its investors. The financial firm closed and immediately filed for bankruptcy. The banks and businesses that invested in the Northern Pacific project also proceeded into bankruptcy. The financial sector of the United States was in serious peril.

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financial panic of 1873: causes & summary - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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Financial Panic of 1873: Causes & Summary - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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It is important to point out that the Panic of 1873 in the United States was part of a larger international economic depression. The pain the United States felt financially was matched across the ocean in Europe when the value of silver plummeted to uncontrollable levels.

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The Progressive Era: Crash Course US History #27

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During the Progressive Era the working class had it rough. Many people young and old were working in factories enduring negative work conditions. Most of them were immigrants allowing politicians to gain more money. Al of these people suffered a lot during economically challenged periods of times including the panic of 1819. Children had no other choice but to work during this time as well. Education was put after income for these families. Drinking was also very popular within the working class due to over working.