1. The ‘Gilded Age’ (1870-1900)

2. What are unions? What benefits do they provide?

3. Due to unprecedented growth, business and industry expand rapidly The use of interchangeable parts allows for mass production More industry leads to a demand for more laborers, drawing from new immigrants

4. Farming benefitted from new technologies, increasing efficiency Expansion of railroads facilitates the massive growth of industry To avoid competition and increase prices, railroads merged to monopolize the market

5. Companies merge to create monopolies in order to cut costs and maximize profits Vertical articulation: a single company controls all production and distribution Horizontal articulation: many companies producing the same product merge

6. What is being depicted in this cartoon? Explain.

7. New immigrants come to America to meet the demand for labor Unskilled immigrants take lowest jobs while American-born men move up the ladder Businesses try to maximize the efficiency of their workers in order to cut labor costs; use of child labor

8. The U.S. sees little political stability at this point, as Democrats and Republicans agree on almost nothing Original government belief of laissez-faire, limited government intervention and regulation Interstate Commerce Act (1887): The federal government will regulate and standardize interstate commerce and transportation Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890): Outlaws trusts (monopolies), but since it was difficult to enforce, many industrialists ignored it

9. By late 1800s, a new social order emerges Few wealthy individuals, growing middle class, large class of working poor Concept that inequality is natural and good Poverty as a virtue and labor unions as the enemy

10. Business tycoons profited immensely from the growth of U.S. industry Robber barons come to monopolize their respective industries Their legacy: greedy and corrupt or innovative and enterprising?

11. Andrew Carnegie defends his accumulation of wealth through steel industry Belief that the wealthy should give away their money before death This wealth should be used to help others, such as by establishing libraries

13. By the 1890’s, opponents of this new corporate capitalism form a political group, the People’s Party, or the Populists Workers grow dissatisfied with substandard conditions and organize to advocate for themselves

14. The National Farmers Alliance forms to advocate for farm workers, providing a base for the Populists Increased industrial efficiency puts greater burden on workers Conditions are poor, wages low, and competition high

15. Led by Terence Powderly, formed in 1869, all- inclusive Make notable gains in the 1880’s by appealing to different workers Fought for an 8-hour work day, better wages, ban on child labor Wanted to spread the wealth

16. Referenced popular social critics to support their cause Edward Bellamy: Wrote Looking Backward (1888), depicting a future socialist commonwealth that could only occur if Americans would share the nation’s wealth

17. Since the labor force is so diverse, getting them all on the same page is tough Industrialists resist demands of labor as they cut into profits Labor unions strike in order to make their point – some escalate

18. May 4, 1886, strikers protest the murder of two of their own days prior Near the end, a bomb goes off, killing police officers 8 radicals tried and convicted; 4 executed, 1 suicide, others pardoned

19. After the Haymarket bombing, labor unions demoralized Knights of Labor decline, the AFL takes its place Pushed for higher wages, but contained mostly skilled white workers Encouraged members to vote and avoid strikes

20. Homestead Strike (1892), violent fight between steel workers and security, workers defeated, setting the labor unions back Pullman Strike (1894), against the railroads who cut wages but not expenses

21. Although labor advances its cause during the Gilded Age, management still retains a great deal of power