Unit 7 Lesson 1: Effectiveness of Labor Unions Flashcards
What was it like for factory workers
Workers faced long hours, low pay, and harsh and dangerous working conditions. The average factory worker labored 10 hours per day, six days per week, for approximately 20 cents per hour.
What was like for workers in steel mills
Workers in steel mills put in even longer workweeks, laboring 12 hours per day, seven days a week.
How did owners try to prevernt labor unions from forming
Owners also took steps to keep workers from organizing. Some forced prospective workers to sign contracts promising not to join a labor union as a condition of being hired.
what were Factory owners main concerns
The factory owners’ main concerns were efficiency and profitability. The men, women, and children who worked in their factories were cogs in a well-oiled machine.
What did the Knights of Labor belive in
The union supported the eight-hour workday and equal pay regardless of gender.
What was the American Federation of Labor like
The American Federation of Labor took a different approach. It organized skilled workers into trade-specific unions. Each union operated independently of the other unions in the federation.
What did the American Federation of Labot focus on
The federation focused on achieving economic gains for its members.
How did the KOF feel about strikes
The Knights of Labor largely opposed strikes as an effective tactic.
Despite how the KOF felt why did the strike
Nevertheless, the union’s sheer size enabled the Knights to claim victories in several railroad strikes in 1884 and 1885
What led KOL to grow
One of those strikes was against the notorious “robber baron” Jay Gould. As a result, the Knights’ popularity rose among workers. All that changed in one night, however.
Why were workers gathered at Haymarket
On May 4, 1886, workers gathered in Chicago’s Haymarket Square to protest the death of a striker the day before at a demonstration for an eight-hour workday.
What was the Haymarket affair
Although the Haymarket protest was quiet, the police arrived armed for conflict. Someone in the crowd threw a bomb at them. Several officers and demonstrators died, and many were injured. The press immediately blamed the Knights of Labor for what came to be called the Haymarket Affair
How did the affiar affect the kngihts
ven though the Knights had nothing to do with the demonstration, the damage was done. The union’s membership dropped to barely 100,000 by the end of 1886
What aer secondary sources
Secondary sources offer an analysis of events after they occur. They often describe, interpret, evaluate, and comment on primary sources. A secondary source might also include primary source quotations from people who experienced the event as evidence to support an analysis of the event.
Following are some examples of secondary sources:
- books about a subject
- encyclopedias and other reference books
- research reports
- reviews
- newspaper and magazine articles written after the event
