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Chapter Industrialization and Workers Warm Up Exercise 1. In 1860, where did most of the population in the U.S. reside? 2. What trends do you notice about the U.S. labor force in graph #2? The Growing Work Force Around 14 million people immigrated to the U.S. between 1860 and 1900. About 8-9 million people moved to cities during the late 1800’s. Most of them fled poor economic conditions on the nation’s farms. Plentiful work in the factories lured the former farmers, as did many of the new attractions of city life. Factory Work Most factories were sweatshops— shops where employees worked long hours at low wages and under poor working conditions. Most laborers worked 12 hour days. Worked 6 days a week and even more sometimes. In many industries, workers received a fixed amount for each finished piece—piecework. Division of Labor- factory workers performed one small part of production repeatedly and often never saw the finished product. What are the pros & cons of this system? The Work Environment Working Conditions: Factory workers ruled by the clock. Workers could be fired for being late, talking, or refusing to do a task. Factories were unsafe. Children often performed unsafe work and worked in dangerously unhealthy conditions. Business owner did not interact with workers. Workers seen as part of the “machine”. Working Families In the 1880s, children made up more than 5% of the industrial labor force. Children often left school at the age of 12 or 13 to work. Girls sometimes took factory jobs so that their brothers could stay in school. If an adult became too ill to work, children as young as 6 or 7 had to work. No govt. assistance! No unemployment! In the 1890s and early 1900s states began legislating child labor. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/hine-photos/images/garment-workers.gif http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/hine-photos/images/garment-workers.gif The Gap Between Rich and Poor In 1890, the richest 9% of Americans had nearly 75% of the national wealth. The average worker earned only a few hundred dollars a year. Many workers resented the extravagant lifestyles of many factory owners. Some workers became politically active. A few were drawn to the idea of socialism. Socialists believe that society at large, not just private individuals, should control a nation’s wealth. That wealth, they say, should be distributed equally to everyone. The Rise of Labor Unions Early Labor Unions • Became strong after the Civil War • Provided assistance to members in bad times • Later expressed workers’ demands to employers The Knights of Labor • A national union • Recruited skilled and unskilled workers, women, and African Americans • Emphasized education and social reform The American Federation of Labor (AFL) • • • • Led by Samuel Gompers Was a craft union of skilled workers A bread and butter union Used collective bargaining as a strategy Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) • • • • Known as “The Wobblies” Organized unskilled workers Had radical socialist leaders Many violent strikes. Workers routinely worked 6 or 7 days a week, had no vacations, no sick leave, and no compensation for injuries Injuries were common – In 1882, an average of 675 workers were killed PER WEEK on the job As conditions for laborers worsened, workers realized they needed to organize The first large-scale national organization of workers was the National Labor Union in 1866 The Colored National Labor Union followed Craft Unions were unions of workers in a skilled trade Samuel Gompers led the Cigar Makers’ International Union to join with other craft unions in 1886 Gompers became president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) He focused on collective bargaining to improve conditions, wages and hours Some unions were formed with workers within a specific industry Eugene Debs attempted this Industrial Union with the railway workers In 1894, the new union won a strike for higher wages and at its peak had 150,000 members EUGENE DEBS Some unionists (including Debs) turned to a socialism – an economic and political system based on government control of business and property and an equal distribution of wealth among all citizens The International Workers of the World (IWW) or Wobblies, was one such socialist union PROMOTIONAL POSTER FOR THE IWW Several strikes turned deadly in the late 19th century as workers and owners clashed The Great Strike of 1877: Workers for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad struck to protest wage cuts Other rail workers across the country struck in sympathy Federal troops were called in to end the strike The Great Strikes Labor leaders continued to push for change – and on May 4, 1886 3,000 people gathered at Chicago’s Haymarket Square to protest police treatment of striking workers A bomb exploded near the police line – killing 7 cops and several workers Radicals were rounded up and executed for the crime Even Andrew Carnegie could not escape a workers strike Conditions and wages were not satisfactory in his Steel plant in Pennsylvania and workers struck in 1892 Carnegie hired Pinkerton Detectives to guard the plant and allow scabs to work Detectives and strikers clashed – 3 detectives and 9 strikers died The National guard restored order – workers returned to work After the Pullman Company laid off thousands of workers and cut wages, the workers went on strike in the spring of 1894 Eugene Debs (American Railroad Union) tried to settle dispute which turned violent Pullman hired scabs and fired the strikers – Federal troops were brought in Debs was jailed Although women were barred from most unions, they did organize behind powerful leaders such as Mary Harris Jones She organized the United Mine Workers of America Mine workers gave her the nickname, “Mother Jones” Pauline Newman organized the International Ladies Garment Workers Union at the age of 16 In 1911, a fire broke out in a clothing factory. Almost 150 women workers died, in part because they had been locked inside. The public was outraged and some reforms favoring workers were passed. The more powerful the unions became, the more employers came to fear them Employers often forbade union meetings and refused to recognize unions Employers forced new workers to sign “Yellow Dog Contracts,” swearing that they would never join a union Despite those efforts, the AFL had over 2 million members by 1914 Railroad Workers Organize The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Railway workers protested unfair wage cuts and unsafe working conditions. The strike was violent and unorganized. President Hayes sent federal troops to put down the strikes. From then on, employers relied on federal and state troops to repress labor unrest. Debs and the American Railway Union At the time of the 1877 strike, railroad workers mainly organized into various “brotherhoods,” which were basically craft unions. Eugene V. Debs proposed a new industrial union for all railway workers called the American Railway Union (A.R.U.). The A.R.U. unite all railroad workers, skilled and unskilled. http://www.communitywalk.com/photos/2/57/23642_l.jpg IMMIGRANTION AMERICA BECOMES A MELTING POT IN THE LATE 19TH & EARLY 20TH CENTURY THE NEW IMMIGRANTS Millions of immigrants entered the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries Some came to escape difficult conditions, others known as “birds of passage” intended to stay only temporarily to earn money, and then return to their homeland EUROPEANS Between 1870 and 1920, about 20 million Europeans arrived in the United States Before 1890, most were from western and northern Europe After 1890, most came from southern and eastern Europe All were looking for opportunity CHINESE Between 1851 and 1882, about 300,000 Chinese arrived on the West Coast Some were attracted by the Gold Rush, others went to work for the railroads, farmed or worked as domestic servants An anti-Chinese immigration act by Congress curtailed immigration after 1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. The act prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country. Many Chinese men worked for the railroads JAPANESE In 1884, the Japanese government allowed Hawaiian planters to recruit Japanese workers The U.S. annexation of Hawaii in 1898 increased Japanese immigration to the west coast By 1920, more than 200,000 Japanese lived on the west coast THE WEST INDIES AND MEXICO Between 1880 and 1920, about 260,000 immigrants arrived in the eastern and southeastern United States form the West Indies They came from Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other islands Mexicans, too, immigrated to the U.S. to find work and flee political turmoil – 700,000 Mexicans arrived in the early 20th century LIFE IN THE NEW LAND In the late 19th century most immigrants arrived via boats The trip from Europe took about a month, while it took about 3 weeks from Asia The trip was arduous and many died along the way Destination was Ellis Island for Europeans, and Angel Island for Asians ELLIS ISLAND, NEW YORK Ellis Island was the arrival point for European immigrants They had to pass inspection at the immigration stations Processing took hours, and the sick were sent home Immigrants also had to show that they were not criminals, had some money ($25), and were able to work From 1892-1924, 17 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island’s facilities ELLIS ISLAND, NEW YORK HARBOR ANGEL ISLAND, SAN FRANCISCO Asians, primarily Chinese, arriving on the West Coast gained admission at Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay Processing was much harsher than Ellis Island as immigrants withstood tough questioning and long detentions in filthy conditions ANGEL ISLAND WAS CONSIDERED MORE HARSH THAN ELLIS ISLAND FRICTION DEVELOPS While some immigrants tried to assimilate into American culture, others kept to themselves and created ethnic communities Committed to their own culture, but also trying hard to become Americans, many came to think of themselves as ItalianAmericans, Polish-Americans, Chinese-Americans, etc Some native born Americans disliked the immigrants unfamiliar customs and languages – friction soon Chinatowns are found in many developed major cities IMMIGRANT RESTRICTIONS As immigration increased, so did anti-immigrant feelings among natives Nativism (favoritism toward native-born Americans) led to anti-immigrant organizations and governmental restrictions against immigration In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which limited Chinese immigration until 1943 Anti-Asian feelings included restaurant boycotts