6.7: Labor in the Gilded Age Flashcards
What was Conspicuous Consumption?
The creation of buildings that demonstrated the large amount of wealth held by the new rich class of Business owners
- Often done to show off wealth and dominance
What is an example of Conspicuous Consumption?
The Biltmore House which was Vanderbilt’s Vacation home
- 35 bedrooms
What was an example of a negative effect experienced by the working class after the Panic of 1873 and the Panic of 1893?
Worker wages dropped significantly
What was an example of economic panic at the end of the 19th century?
The Panic of 1873 and the Panic of 1893
Despite the increasing gap between the rich and the poor during the Gilded Age, what was a positive change for the general public?
Increased standards of living
Why did standards of living increase during the Gilded Age?
New goods and services were available to industrial workers as result of mass production and industrialization
What was a result of the new dangerous and unfair labor practices during the Gilded Age?
The rise of labor unions
What were some examples of Union Tactics?
- Political action
- Slowdowns
- Strikes
What were examples of a strikes during the Gilded Age?
- The Great Railroad Strike
- The Pullman Strike
What was the Great Railroad Strike?
(CONTEXT, REACTION, RESULT)
CONTEXT: Railroad companies cut wages to save money during a recession.
REACTION: Unionized railroad workers strikes in 11 states and shut down over 60% of the nations’ railroads
RESULT: Federal troops sent in by Hayes to reclaim order & railroad workers got the companies to negotiate
What was the Pullman Strike?
Sleeping car train company cut wages of workers and then fired everyone complained which led to the others going on strike
Who was an example of a Labor Union leader during the Gilded Age and what did he do?
Eugene V. Debs And stopped his members from working on Pullman cars
How did the federal government react to the Pullman Strike
Imprisoned the laborers and broke the strike
What were some of the most influential labor unions?
- The Knights of Labor
- The American Federation of Labor
Who were the Knights of Labor and what were their goals?
A labor union who allowed everyone to join with the goal to destroy trusts and end child labor
What event destroyed the Knights of Labor?
The Haymarket Square Riot
What was the Haymarket Square Riot and what were its effects?
Many members of the Knights of Labor protested peacefully for an 8-hour work day but an anarchist launched a bomb which became associated with the labor union and destroyed public sentiment towards labor unions
Who was the leader of the American Federation of Labor?
Samuel Gompers
What was the goal of the AFL?
- Higher wages and better working conditions
