1. Labor and The Industrial Revolution

2. Social Inequality By 1900 –2% of Americans owned 1/3 of Nations Wealth –10% of Americans owned ¾ of Nations wealth –90% of society was poor Social Mobility – the ability to improve ones economic status was common, but “rages to riches” was very uncommon High demand for unskilled workers – children, women, and immigrants entered work force

3. Social Inequality – Continued Working conditions –extremely poor and unhealthy –Average wage $3.50 hour by modern standards –60 hour work week –American had highest accident rate in world –Only country with no workers compensation Living conditions reflected income and working conditions

4. Child Labor Poverty forced families to send their children to work 1880 – 1/6 of children in US worked full time –As young as 8 years old –Same working conditions as adults –Received no education –Little parental nurturing or play Often employed in textile mills or coal mines 3X more likely to be injured then adult workers Less likely to reach age of 20 then non-working children

5. Child Labor Continued

6. Seeds of Unionism Union – a collection of workers who uses their collective bargaining power to create better working conditions and better pay Craft Unions – open to only workers of a certain skill or industry Labor Unions – open to all workers in an industry regardless work performed Industrialist and Politicians were against Unions – respected property rights more then rights of labor Working conditions and pay encourage workers to form unions

7. Seeds of Unionism Continued 3 events impacted public view of early unions –Molly Maguires – used violence and terrorism to improve working conditions – 24 members convicted of violence –Railroad Strike of 1877 – first nation wide strike, railroad employees protested falling pay, mob violence erupted and destroyed property, 100 people died –Sand-Lot Incident – Labor protest that turned into anti- Chinese riot, Chinese blamed for hard economic times in California

8. Seeds of Unionism Continued The violence and failure of the three events demonstrated the need labor organize national unions Unions began 1850’s, but took off during the Civil War

9. Knights of Labor Founded by Uriah S. Stephens in 1869 Labor Union – all could join Preferred boycotts to strikes Lobbied for –Bureaus of Labor Statistics – keeps data –Mechanic’s Lien Laws – ensures salary payments –Foran Act – against labor imports by companies –Eight Hour Workday –Paper Currency –Equal pay for equal work 1886 – 700,000 members Greatest success organizing unskilled and non-traditional workers

10. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) Founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886 Craft Union – feared unskilled workers would hurt their bargaining power Focused on economic gains –Higher Wages –Shorter Hours –Better working Conditions –Avoided utopian ideas or politics Preferred Strikes 1920 – 4 million Greatest success was organizing skilled workers

11. Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) AKA – The Wobblies Founded in 1905 by Daniel De Leon –Must be founded on“class struggle” and the “conflict between the capitalist class and the working class” More radical then Knights and AFL Members were on the fringes of society and labeled anarchists, bums, and criminals WWI ended the union, when most leaders were jailed for antiwar statements Left behind rich folklore

12. Socialism in America Capitalism – means of production are owned by individuals – promotes individual progress Socialism – means of production are owned by government – promotes collective equality Major Unions did not ally themselves with socialism Socialist Labor Party – attracted mainly German immigrants –Daniel De Leon dominated the party, vowed to unite labor as a political party and abolish government when in power, and labor unions will control society

13. Socialism in America continued Eugene Debs –More successful then De Leon at building a socialist movement in America – Father of American Socialism –Founded the American Railroad Union –Helped found IWW –Spent time in Prison for role in the Pullman Strike –Founded Social Democratic Party 1900 election received 96,000 votes 1904, 400,000 votes 1912, 900,000 votes or 6% of popular vote

14. The End