Difficulties Faced by Laborers Post-Civil War

• After the Civil War, laborers faced:
  • Lack of protection.
  • Absence of labor unions.
  • No laws safeguarding the working class.
  • Vulnerability to employer control.
  • Unsafe working conditions:
    • Long working hours.
    • Insufficient wages (not sufficient for a living wage).

Formation of Labor Unions

• Laborers sought to improve their conditions by forming labor unions.
• Discussion of early national labor unions in the U.S. began in the 1860s.
  • Knights of Labor:
    • Full title: The Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor.
    • Founded secretly in 1869 to avoid employer retaliation (risk of firing).
    • Publicly active by 1878 under Terence Powderly's leadership.
    • Unique characteristics:
    • Inclusive membership, welcoming all wage earners (skilled/unskilled, immigrants/natives, men/women).
    • Goals included:
      • Ending child labor:
        • Aimed to legislate against child labor due to unsafe factory conditions.
      • Higher wage guarantees (similar to a minimum wage).
      • Dissolution of trust companies that monopolized industries.
      • Safer working conditions:
        • Government intervention sought to ensure workplace safety.
• Despite attracting numerous members, the Knights of Labor ultimately declined.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

• Founded in the 1880s under Samuel Gompers’ leadership.
• Different approach compared to the Knights of Labor:
  • Exclusive membership focusing mainly on skilled, male workers.
  • Targeted primarily middle-class men, excluding women and immigrants.
  • Common goals included similar improvements in wages and conditions and the recognition of workday laws.

Tactics Used by Labor Unions

• Strikes were a major tactic to garner attention for worker issues.
  • Definition of strikes: Workers walk off the job, demanding changes (e.g., shorter workday, safer conditions, higher wages).
  • Other tactics included:
    • Work slowdowns (deliberate reduction in work efficiency).
    • Lobbying for protective legislation.

Significant Strikes and Labor Unrest

• Great Railroad Strike of 1877:
  • Involved railroad workers protesting wage cuts by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
  • Third wage cut led to a national strike involving multiple railroads, crippling rail service across the nation.
  • Government response:
    • President Rutherford B. Hayes deployed troops to suppress the strike, leading to violent confrontations resulting in deaths.
    • Despite massive unrest, workers' demands went unmet.
  • Impact on perception of government:
    • Many laborers viewed the government as siding with businesses rather than protecting workers' interests.

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

• Also known as “Wobblies,” they represented the most marginalized workers (low pay, dangerous jobs).
• Aimed for radical reforms:
  • Advocated for socialism over capitalism.
  • Based on ideas from Karl Marx (e.g., "The Communist Manifesto").
  • Definition of socialism:
    • No private ownership; all properties are collectively owned by the community.
    • Promise of equality and elimination of poverty.
  • Appeal primarily to lower-class workers dissatisfied with capitalism.

Haymarket Square Riot (1886)

• Context:
  • Rising tension between police and laborers amid labor strikes in Chicago.
• A rally was organized at Haymarket Square after police confrontations.
• A bomb was thrown at police during the rally, leading to chaos and violence,
  • Casualties included deaths on both sides.
• The event resulted in the arrest of eight labor leaders known as the Chicago Eight.
  • Many were anarchists, which led to further stigma against labor organizations.
  • Outcome:
    • Four executed; later pardoned in light of public opinion.
  • The reputational damage to the Knights of Labor led to a decline in membership and visibility.

The Labor Movement's Long Road to Change

• The labor movement faced significant opposition and setbacks.
• Despite ongoing efforts, substantial federal labor laws weren't passed until the 1960s.

Working Conditions for Women and African Americans

• Increase in women entering the workforce due to economic necessity.
• Women faced lower pay compared to men and faced systemic workforce discrimination.
• African Americans facing similar discrimination:
  • Often limited to the lowest-paid jobs and excluded from many labor unions.
• Need for legal frameworks to ensure equal pay and workplace rights emerged slowly over the decades.

Transition of U.S. Cities Post-Civil War

• Shift from private to public cities accompanying the rise of urban populations post-war:
  • Public services (e.g., sanitation, police, fire departments) began to form due to governmental investments.
• Importance of urban planning and infrastructure to manage growing cities.

Development of Transportation in Cities

• Initial public transport (omnibus) replaced by cable cars and eventually electric trolleys.
• Transportation evolution aimed to accommodate growing urban populations and improve access,
  • Leading to the eventual expansion of city infrastructure.