TUs Gilded Age

Question 1

Negative view

Answer 1

Rich capitalists exploited labour to get richer and wealth inequality grew.

Government sided with capital at the expense of labour, colluding in corrupt practices, discrimination and exploitation.

Question 2

Increasing inequality

Answer 2

It was a period of increasing inequality and poverty for many in the workforce, with 2% of the population owning 30% of the wealth

Question 3

Skilled and unskilled disparity

Answer 3

Huge disparity between skilled and unskilled workers -unskilled workers made around 30% of what skilled workers made

Question 4

Skilled workers decline

Answer 4

The demand for skilled workers declined because of the increase in mechanisation

Question 5

Contract system

Answer 5

The use of the ‘contract system’ meant that workers could be laid of during quiet periods

Question 6

Rail worker accidents

Answer 6

In 1889 there were 2000 rail workers killed in accidents

Courts considered employer negligence as a normal risk borne by the employee until the 1890s

Question 7

Violence of strikes

Answer 7

The violence of strikes, which began with the Haymarket Affair of 1886, did much to damage the reputation of the KOL and its membership collapsed

Initially 8 policemen and 8 workers killed, then 7 sent to the gallows for orchestrating the strike

Question 8

Slump in the economy

Answer 8

The slump in the economy at the end of the 1880s weakened the position of workers as there as unemployment, job insecurity and a reduction in wages

Question 9

Divisions in the workforce

Answer 9

The workforce was divided between white, skilled workers, who made up most of the unions, and African Americans, but this division was exacerbated by the arrival of new immigrants from Europe and Asia

There were fears that these new arrivals would increase the available workforce and result in a reduction in wages

Unions would not allow either the African Americans or new immigrants to join

Question 10

Government policy

Answer 10

The government’s laissez faire policy encouraged large corporations and meant that there was no protective legislation for the workforce

Question 11

Court action

Answer 11

The courts also supported the employers and issued injunctions to end strikes

In re Debs (1895) ruled that the federal government had a right to issue injunctions against strikers

Question 12

Pinkerton influence

Answer 12

Pinkerton agent James Mcparland was hired by Franklin B. Gowen, to go undercover against the Molly Maguires in 1875 where he became a trusted member of the organisation

His testimony was integral in sending ten men to the gallows

Question 13

Presidents

Answer 13

Protective legislation was lacking from “do-nothing” presidents

Question 14

Ethnic divisions

Answer 14

Ethnic divisions remained ever-present in the union movement - National Negro Labor Union not allowed in other unions

Question 15

Massachusetts lack of progress

Answer 15

In the state of Massachusetts, perhaps the most advanced state in the Union in the realm of labor reform, legislative leaders were unable muster popular support for comprehensive factory reform until the end of the 1880

Question 16

Great Railroad Strike

Answer 16

Great Railroad Strike of 1877 crushed by President Hayes using federal troops
Collapsed in 45 days

Question 17

Calvin Pardee Strike

Answer 17

1897, workers struck the Calvin Pardee Company, using among other tactics the time-honored resistance mode of a protest march.

The sheriff and deputies fired on the strikers, immediately killing 25

The lawmen were tried and acquitted.

The strikers were immigrants from Eastern Europe

Question 18

Homestead Strike

Answer 18

1892 Homestead Strike - 9 workers killed in clashes with 300 Pinkertons (7 detectives killed)

8000 state militiamen called in, ended steel unions in Pennsylvania by 1900

Question 19

Pullman Strike

Answer 19

1894 Pullman Strike brought to a standstill by Cleveland’s federal troops despite having over 125,000 involved

Question 20

Mixed view

Answer 20

Some workers benefited from increased employment, wages, standard of living and diversification of work opportunities.

However, for many workers, particularly the unskilled, immigrants, ethnic minorities, the poorest and women (at least some) these benefits were not shared.

Question 21

Mixed economic gains

Answer 21

Organised labour, having seen some gains when the economy grew in the period from 1860 to 1880, lost the gains made when economic slumps set in

Question 22

Positive view

Answer 22

The economic growth of this period (7% p.a.) created positive opportunities for workers, and created the possibility of wealth creation and social mobility, even for recent immigrants and minority groups.
Trade Union membership grew rapidly which gave workers more possibility of negotiating for their rights.

Question 23

Wage increases

Answer 23

Wages (particularly for skilled workers) rose dramatically, with an increase of some 60%, despite a rapid rise in the available workforce caused by immigration

Question 24

Rise of industry

Answer 24

The increase in transport and heavy industry created an increase in demand for labour

American heavy industry overtook that of Britain, which had been the world’s leading producer of industrial goods

The number of craft-orientated unions grew

Question 25

Knights of Labour growth

Answer 25

Unions such as the Knights of Labour saw a rapid growth in membership, which went from 20,000 in 1881 to 700,000 in 1886 and included both women and African Americans

Question 26

AFL success

Answer 26

The American Federation of Labor was established in 1886 and was the first successful national labour federation

It sought to link all unions

Question 27

Political influence of unions

Answer 27

Unions were able to extend their influence into politics at both a national and local level

Question 28

Sickness clubs

Answer 28

Some sickness clubs, to which workers contributed so that they had some income if they were ill, were established but compensation was limited

Question 29

Wealthy reinvestment

Answer 29

Wealthy industrialists reinvested a lot of their profits into social welfare projects, education and culture

Question 30

Successful Wabash strike

Answer 30

In 1885, there was a successful strike at Wabash Railroad which forced Jay Gould to change his anti-union stance

Question 31

General loss of life

Answer 31

1881-1900, 35k a year killed in accidents at work

Question 32

Patterns of striking

Answer 32

No fewer than 100,000 went on strike each year; in 1892 1,298 strikes took place

Question 33

Rise of immigration

Answer 33

1870-1900, 12 million. Mainly from European countries such as Ireland, Germany and Italy, but also from Asian countries such as China

Question 34

Working conditions

Answer 34

Workers had few rights. Shifts could be as long as 12 hours, often under hazardous and harmful conditions. Children as young as 8 worked in coal mines.

Question 35

Sherman Antitrust Act

Answer 35

1890, prohibited anti-competitive behaviour in business. Used by the court from 1894-1932 to issue injunctions to break strikes. Supreme Court allowed this.

Question 36

South and North

Answer 36

It was easier to unionise cities in the North where all workers were together, than the rural areas of the South where they were more spread out.