Recording-2025-03-11T17:59:37.304Z

Amish Community and Rumspringa

• Rumspringa: A practice among the Amish where young members (usually around 16) are allowed to experience the outside world for a period.

  • During this time, they can drive cars, try out different lifestyles, and engage in activities not permitted in the Amish community (e.g., smoking pot).

  • After a year, they make a decision to either join the church or leave it behind.

• Return to the Church: Contrary to common assumptions, many young people choose to return to the Amish community after their Rumspringa, finding it a more stable and fulfilling lifestyle compared to modern society.

Transportation Choices for the Amish

• Modes of Transport:

  • The Amish traditionally do not drive cars but may use bicycles and horse-drawn carriages.

  • Sleds: While they don't use machines, they are comfortable with sleds because they aren't mechanically operated.

• Transportation Preferences:

  • The Amish prefer horse-drawn over bikes due to maintenance reasons; horses require more care (feeding, health, etc.).

  • Bicycles are easier to maintain and can keep pace with carriages on short trips.

Class Activities and Geography Quiz

• Quiz Details:

  • The teacher emphasizes the importance of completing quizzes and encourages students to inform him if they haven't done so.

  • Encouragement is given to finish quizzes to avoid problems later on.

• Geography Focus:

  • Students are quizzed on U.S. capitals, with the teacher helping with prompts and corrections.

  • Interaction drives engagement, demonstrating the connection between capitals and their corresponding states.

Labor Unrest in the 1890s

• Labor Strikes:

  • Reflection on labor unrest, emphasizing the economic and social dichotomy between the rich and the poor.

  • Knights of Labor (KOL):

    • Founded in 1869, aims included collective bargaining, 50-hour work weeks, and eliminating child labor.

    • The organization becomes crucial in the landscape of labor movements.

Historical Context of Labor Wars

• Strike of 1877:

  • Originated in Buffalo, NY, among railroad workers, this event escalated into a nationwide labor strike prompting military involvement.

  • Government Response:

    • Deployment of the army to quell unrest, demonstrating the government's support for business interests.

Haymarket Affair

• Haymarket Riot (1886):

  • A significant labor event where a strike escalated into violence during a rally in Chicago, leading to bad public perception of labor movements.

  • The KOL suffers as a result, diminishing their influence amid accusations of radicalism.

Emergence of New Labor Organizations

• American Federation of Labor (AFL):

  • Formed by Samuel Gompers in 1886, focused on more moderate and American-centered union politics compared to the KOL.

  • Prioritized practical goals such as fair wages and working conditions without radical politics.

Important Events and Figures

• Eugene Debs:

  • A key socialist figure who ran for president under the Socialist ticket, highlighting the political climate of the time.

  • Associated with significant strikes like the Homestead Strike and the Pullman Strike, leading to key legislative changes and social awareness.

Overview of Reform Movements

• Populism and Progressivism (1890s to 1920s):

  • Populisms: A movement composed largely of lower-class individuals wanting economic reforms without clear strategies.

  • Progressivism: A broader coalition of middle-class reformers aiming for significant social changes and legislative reforms, such as women's suffrage related to the movement.

Conclusion

• Overall, the lecture highlights key developments in labor movements, tensions between classes, the impact of strikes, and the evolution of political ideologies from populism to progressivism in America.