america in the 20th century + labor unions and civil rights

ford’s model t

revolutionized the efficiencies of assembly line process in factories

• through specialization/reduction in production $$

teddy roosevelt’s square deal

• conservation of natural resources

• control of corporations

• consumer protection

  • 3 cs

the progressive movement

• sought to regulate private industry (monopolies)

• strengthen protection for workers/consumers

• expose corruption in government/big business

• generally improve society

specific goals

• protect social welfare (ex. social gospel movement)

• promote moral improvement

• create economic reform

• foster efficiencies

workers’ compensation

a worker who had been injured could receive assistance for medical care and loss of income

labor unions

groups of workers who band together to achieve better pay, safer working conditions, and other benefits

scabs

nonunion workers willing to cross strike lines in order to work

haymarket riot

originally a public protest rally by labor leaders, descending to chaos when someone threw a bomb and police responded with gunfire.

• resulted in several deaths of police officers/protesters and dozens injured

• knights of labor was blamed

american federation of labor

lead by samuel gompers

wanted to focus on labor’s economic gains/less on social reform (better wages, benefits, working conditions > changing society’s structure)