Labor Movements and Economic Changes in the Late 19th Century

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to labor movements, economic conditions, and social changes in the United States during the late nineteenth century, providing a comprehensive study tool for the exam.

Labor Rights

The rights of workers to fair wages, safe working conditions, and proper treatment in the workplace.

Strike

A work stoppage initiated by employees to protest against employers.

Molly Maguires

A secret society of Irish miners in Pennsylvania known for their violent tactics against employers.

National Labor Union

The first national labor federation in the United States, active in the late 19th century.

Knights of Labor

A significant American labor organization founded in 1869, which aimed to unite workers of all skills and backgrounds.

Workers' Cooperative

An organizational model where workers have a direct stake in the company and share profits.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

A national federation of labor unions in the United States, formed in 1886, that focused on skilled labor.

Eugene V. Debs

Labor leader and founding member of the Industrial Workers of the World, known for his commitment to socialism.

Pullman Strike

A nationwide railroad strike in the United States in 1894 that turned violent and was suppressed by federal troops.

Haymarket Square Riot

A labor protest that turned violent in 1886, resulting in deaths and a crackdown on labor movements.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Federal legislation that prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States.

Child Labor

The employment of children in industries or businesses, often under dangerous or inhumane conditions.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States after the Reconstruction era.

Sharecropping

An agricultural system where a tenant farmer works land owned by another in return for a share of the crop.

Terrorism Against Management

Methods used by disgruntled workers, such as sabotage or intimidation, to fight against employers.

Corporate Monopolies

The control of a market or industry by a single company, reducing competition.

Isolationism

A foreign policy position of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups or countries.

Economic Depression of 1873

A significant economic downturn that led to widespread unemployment and wage cuts.

Pinkerton Detective Agency

A private security guard and detective agency established in the United States; known for its involvement in labor disputes.

Socialism

A political and economic theory advocating for the means of production, distribution, and exchange to be owned or regulated by the community.

Prohibition of Segregation

Legal measures intended to end segregation in public places and ensure equal rights for all.