Chapter 22 - The Revolt of the Common Man

National Labor Union

• Founded in 1866
• ^^Was one of the first national labor movements^^
• Promoted an 8 hour workday

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Mother Jones

• The nickname of Mary Harris Jones
• Was the labor organizer for the Knights of Labor

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Knights of Labor

• Founded in 1869
• Led by Terence Powderly
• Included both skilled + unskilled workers
• ^^Used boycotts in order to force negotiations with employers^^
• The Haymarket Square Riot eventually led to their downfall

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Terence V. Powderly

• Leader of the Knights of Labor
• Believed in regulating trusts, reforming the currency, and abolishing child labor
• Positions in the Republican + Greenback Labor Party

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Eugene V. Debs

• ^^1893 - Organized the American Railway Union^^
• Important role in the Pullman Strike
• 1897 - Leader in the Social Democratic Party
• Ran for president as a Socialist
• Later violated the World War I Sedition and Espionage Acts

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Molly Maguires

• Was a secret organization of Irish miners
• Promoted labor violence instead of peaceful negotiation
• When they were later infiltrated by the Pinkerton Detectives, they were jailed and hanged
  • Ruined the reputation of future labor movements

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Pinkerton Detectives

• Originally specialized in railway theft cases, protecting trains and apprehending train robbers
• ^^Hired by large corporations to protect their property against violent labor riots^^

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National Railroad Strike

• Caused by the railroads reducing their workers’ wages in order to cut costs
• 1877
• When it became violent, the US military was sent in to shut it down
• Began an era of labor violence

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Haymarket Square Riot

• 1886
• ^^Anarchists threw a bomb in Haymarket Square that was the site of a labor demonstration^^
• Ruined the reputation of the Knights of Labor

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Samuel Gompers

• 1886 - Organized American Federation of Labor (AFL)
• Believed in using practical measures to achieve practical goals
• Not radical

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American Federation of Labor

• Founded in 1886
• ^^A craft union made of skilled workers^^
• Used strikes
• Believed laborers have the right to collective bargaining
• Ended the bad reputation of labor unions

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Closed vs. Open Shop

• The idea of a closed shop was that workers were very united within a union, but non-union workers were excluded
• Yellow dog contracts were used by employers to tempt employees not to join destructive unions

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Homestead Strike

• 1892
• Henry Clay Frick was in charge of the Homestead steel plant
• ^^A violent worker strike led to a lock-out^^
• Culminated in a battle between strikers and the Pinkerton Detectives and eventually the National Guard
• Resulted in many workers being “blacklisted”

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Injunction

• A court order requested during worker strikes
• If workers failed to comply and stop striking, they were arrested

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Pullman Strike

• 1894
• American Railway Union
• ^^Widespread railroad strike and boycott that severely disrupted rail traffic in the Midwest of the United States in June–July 1894^^
• An injunction led to the strikers being forced to give up

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Jacob Coxey

• Believed that the federal government should provide jobs for the poor
• 1894 - Formed “Coxey’s Army,” which was a group of strikers that marched on Washington
  • They were eventually dispersed by the police and arrested

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Patrons of Husbandry (Grange)

• Founded in 1867
• ^^Used to protect agricultural interests with the cooperation of farmers^^
• Wanted to reduce corporate monopolies (like railroads)
• Granger Laws were regulations on railroads
• Led to the formation of the Populist Party

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Gibson Girl

• Targeted young, middle-class women
• She was a cartoon character that was pretty and athletic and had an important role in the workforce
• Encouraged female independence

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Populist Party

• Founded in 1891
• Made a stand against capitalists
• ^^1892 - Introduced their Omaha Platform^^
  • A new national currency
  • Silver coinage
  • The government would own the transportation + communication industries (which would prevent monopolies)
  • Graduated income tax
  • Direct election of senators
  • Shorter working hours
  • Restrictions on immigration

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Mary Lease

• Politically active in the Populist Party
• Didn’t support William Jennings Bryan
• ^^Her progressive causes included supporting women’s suffrage + prohibition^^

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William Jennings Bryan

• Democrat
• 1896 - Made his famous “Cross of Gold” speech
• Supported by the Populists
• Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson

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Gold Standard

• “Promissory notes” based on the amount of gold in the US Treasury
• Paper money was exchanged for gold at the banks
• ^^Eventually abandoning the gold standard led to the expansion of the supply of currency^^

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William McKinley

• 1896 - Republican for president
• Wanted high tariffs + the gold standard
• Implemented the Dingley Tariff, which was a very high tariff

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Election of 1896

• 1896
• ^^Farmers vs. urban capitalists^^
• William Jennings Bryan supported debtors + farmers
• William McKinley supported creditors + sound money
  • Theodore Roosevelt was his Vice President

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BIG PICTURE

• Laborers - Action for wages + hours + working conditions
• Violence → Bad reputation for labor unions
• AFL - Not radical + collective bargaining
• Farmer grassroots movement
• Election of 1896 - McKinley + Roosevelt

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