Response to Industry Terms

Unions

Unions

An association of workers, formed to bargain for better working conditions and higher wages.

Sweatshop

A shop or factory where workers work long hours at low wages under unhealthy/difficult conditions

Strikes

The unions' method for having their demands met. Workers stop working until the conditions are met. It is a very effective form of attack.

collective bargaining

Process by which a union representing a group of workers negotiates with management for a contract

Lockout

When management closes the doors to the place of work and forced union to accept changed conditions

Strikebreakers

people hired by management to replace striking employees; called "scabs" by striking union members

Injunction

a court order, generally used against strikers, which requires union members to stop from striking.

Commonwealth vs. Hunt

ruled that labor unions were not illegal monopolies that restrained trade -Had little impact initially, and ruling pushed aside by management

Molly Maguires

a secret society organized by miners in Eastern Pennsylvania coal fields who were accused of kidnapping, and other crimes -Prosecuted by employer sponsored detectives called Pinkertons

Great Railroad Strike

Workers for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroads suffers a series of pay cuts -Enraged, they went on strike refused to work and blocked tracks -Strike spread nationwide affecting all main railway lines -Hayes used troops as strikebreakers

Haymarket Square Riot

200k workers went on strike @ McCormick Reaper plant, when police came to break up strike bomb was thrown *Incident was used to discredit the Knights of Labor, as one of anarchists was member

Homestead Strike

Strike at Andrew Carnegie's steel plant called by AFL and Tin workers in which Pinkerton detectives clashed with steel workers -Hired armed guards to enforce lockout of workers

Pullman Strike

when panic of 1893 hit, Pullman cut wages but refused to lower rents in the "company town", Eugene Debs had American Railway Union refuse to use Pullman cars, Sup Ct ordered an injunction, workers refused and Cleveland sent troops, Debs thrown in jail after being sued, strike achieved nothing

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

fire in New York factory that trapped young women workers inside locked exit doors; nearly 50 ended up jumping to their death; while 100 died inside the factory; led to the establishment of many factory reforms, including Factory Investigating Commission to increasing safety precautions for workers

Knights of Labor

Started by garment cutters, lead by terence Powderly, goal was to bring all unskilled/skilled, black or white, into one big union -Opposed Child labor, wanted equal pay for women, demanded 9 hr. day, called for employer-employee ownership of business, temperance

American Federation of Labor

Created by Samuel Gompers, a union for crafted or skilled workers (Bc they can't be easily replaced) -Charged high to build reserves for strikes, did not intention violent revolution, demanded collective bargaining in labor contracts w/ large corporations

Bread & Butter Unionism

Term used by Gompers and AFL, aimed at higher wages, shorter hours and safer working conditions, rather than political reform

Communism

society as whole owns all property and individuals share goods equally

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of capital

Socialism

Means of economic production and distribution are owned by gov't or community not individuals

Farmers' Struggles

The cost of new innovative farm machinery and because the railroads overcharged them to transport their goods. High costs and low prices for the good drove many farmers out of business. -crop destruction by grasshoppers, droughts

Patrons of Husbandry (the grange)

Social and educational organization through which farmers attempted to combat the power of the railroads in the late 19th century. -Negotiated special discounts w/farm machinery deals -Set up cash-only cooperatives stores and gran storage elevators

causes of agrarian discontent

Railroads were using discriminatory rates to exploit farmers; big businesses used high tariffs to exploit farmers; deflationary monetary policy based on gold hurt farmers; corporations charged exorbitant prices for fertilizers and farm machinery

Cooperatives

an organization for producing, marketing, or consuming goods in which the members share the benefits

granger laws

A set of laws designed to address railroad discrimination against small farmers, covering issues like freight rates and railroad rebates. -fixed maximum prices for freight shipment

Munn v Illinois

The Supreme Court upheld the Granger laws. Allowed states to regulate certain businesses within their borders, including railroads, and is commonly regarded as a milestone in the growth of federal government regulation.

Farmers' Alliances

Began in TX when poor farmers discussed hardships, initially advocated farmers cooperatives to purchase equipment and supplies to market their cotton -Members: poorest farmers who were dependent on single crop and geographically isolated

Populist Party

Representing mainly South and west farmers, favoring free coinage of silver and government control of railroads and other monopolies, fed funding ofr irrigation system, -Supported James B. Weaver in Election of 1892 and William Jennings Bryan in 1896

Election of 1892

-Republican: Harrison (Public reaction against labor violence and McKinley tariff hurt Harrion's chances) -Demo: Cleveland (Support gold standard / won conservative business support) -Populist: James B. Weaver (Appeal in GA, AL, TX, not popular in New England)

Cleveland won

Depression of 1893

Cause: Sherman Silver purchase Act- B/c treasury certificates redeemable in either gold or silver most bond holders converted to gold= sharp decline in Gold Reserve + stock prices plunged Effect: RR went bankrupt , Banks + Business failed, unemployment rose,

Wilson-Gorman Tariff

restricted US sugar imports. The tariff led to an economic downturn in Cuba, and in turn helped to increase the anger of Cuban natives against colonial Spain. Was 40% rate compared to McKinley Tariff, however again he was defeated on tariff program

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

Required the government to purchase an additional 4.5 million ounces of silver bullion each month for use as currency. -->Helped the start of the 1973 depression

Free Silver

Political issue involving the unlimited coinage of silver, supported by farmers and democrats, William Jennings Bryan (Soft money) -Inflation would go up

Crime of '73

aka coinage act of 1873, the US ended the minting of silver dollars and placed the country on the gold standard becoming the only metal currency.

This was attacked by those who supported an inflationary monetary policy, particularly farmers and believed in the unlimited coinage of silver

Panic of 1873

Four year economic depression caused by over-speculation on railroads and western lands, and worsened by Grant's poor fiscal response (refusing to coin silver) -Stock Market plummeted

Omaha Platform

Political agenda adopted by the populist party at their convention. Called for unlimited coinage of silver (bimetallism), government regulation of railroads and industry, graduated income tax, and a number of election reforms.

"Coin" Harvey

Pro silver coinage, Proposed a plan for bimetallism with a standard of 16 to 1, with gold worth 16 times as much as silver.

Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co.

Declared the income tax under the Wilson-Gorman Tariff to be unconstitutional -fed. gov't can only impose a direct tax on personal property if the tax is apportioned to the population in each state

Coxey's Army (Jacob Coxey)

1894 Proposed a $500 million public works program funded by paper money not backed by gold -lead protest of several hundred unemployed men led by Ohio businessman Marched on Washington. The group was dispersed by soldiers deployed by the federal government.

Hard Money vs. Soft Money

Hard Money: wanted gold standard, supported by republicans, believed there should be no more $ in circulation than gold. (Cleveland dem- supported) Soft Money: paper money not backed by specie (gold or silver) -Supported by farmers and debtors

Cross of Gold Speech

Speech given by William Jennings Bryan during democratic convention in Chicago. Speech supported the free coinage of silver and it criticized the gold standard Major factor in causing his nomination in 1896 election. His beliefs were popular with debt-ridden farmers.

Greenback Labor Party

Political party devoted to improving the lives of laborers and raising inflation, reaching its high point in 1878 -Wanted to keep greenbacks in circulation believing money not backed by gold could help US get out of Depression.

Election of 1896

Republican William McKinley defeated Democratic-Populist William Jennings Bryan.

-1st election in 24 years than Republicans won a majority of the popular vote. McKinley won promoting the gold standard, pluralism, and industrial growth. --> Mark Hanna published dangers of free silver in newspaper causing support for McKinley

Terence Powderly

led the Knights of Labor, a skilled and unskilled union, believed in producer and consumer "cooperatives" -Supported restrictions on immigrants

Samuel Gompers

He was the creator of the American Federation of Labor. He provided a stable and unified union for skilled workers.

Jay Gould

President of Union Pacific Railroad & financier who gained control of the Erie Canal and who caused a financial panic in 1869 when he attempted to corner the gold market

• Beat Competition by setting rates lower than rival railroads and lower than his own cost, just to raise them when competition shut down.

Mary Elizabeth Lease

A speaker for the Populist party and the Farmer's Alliance. One of the founders of the national Populist party. She believed that big business had made the people of America into "wage slaves," and challenged her fellow farmers to "raise less corn and more hell."

Sockless Jerry Simpson

A rural reformer who ran against Mary Lease in the Populist Part election in Kansas.

• Simpson served three Congressional terms and was a forceful advocate for Populist causes.

Thomas Watson

Ran in 1896 election; He was from Georgia and he appealed to poor farmers of both races to join the Populists party.

Benjamin Harrison

23rd President; Republican, poor leader, introduced the McKinley Tariff and increased federal spending to a billion dollars -Sent in troops during homestead strike

Grover Cleveland

22nd and 24th president, Democrat, Honest and hardworking, fought corruption, vetoed hundreds of wasteful bills, achieved the Interstate Commerce Commission and civil service reform, violent suppression of strikes -Believed in gold standard

James B. Weaver

He was the Populist candidate for president in the election of 1892; received only 8.2% of the vote. He was from the West.

J. P. Morgan

Banker who buys out Carnegie Steel and renames it to U.S. Steel. Was a philanthropist in a way; "Robber barons" -took over weak companies and helped with their debts, making them larger networks or monopoly -Combined Federal Steel with Carnegies Company making first business capitalized at $1 billion

William Jennings Bryan

Democratic candidate for president in 1896 under the banner of "free silver coinage" which won him support of the Populist Party. -Gave gold cross speech

Mark Hanna

Ohio industrialist and organizer of McKinley's campaign victory over Bryan in the election of 1896 -published pamphlet about dangers of free silver

William McKinley

25th president responsible for Mckinley tariff, very high to protect domestic business interests. Is assassinated by an anarchist

Eugene V. Debs

Leader of the American Railway Union, he voted to aid workers in the Pullman strike. He was jailed for six months for disobeying a court order after the strike was over. -Advocated a more radical method for opposing big business.