Labor in the Gilded Age - APUSH Unit 6 Study Notes

Labor in the Gilded Age

  • Overview of the Gilded Age

    • The last video presented the Gilded Age as "a golden covered turd;" the quality of life varied between rich and poor.

    • This session focuses on explaining the socioeconomic continuities and changes linked to the growth of industrial capitalism from 1865 to 1898.

Wealth Disparities During the Gilded Age

  • Emergence of wealthy business owners

    • They accumulated wealth surpassing previous generations and engaged in conspicuous consumption.

    • Conspicuous Consumption: A term coined by economist Thorstein Veblen referring to the public display of wealth.

    • Example: The Biltmore House, built in 1895, is the largest private residence in the U.S., encompassing 175,000 square feet, 35 bedrooms, and 43 bathrooms, showcasing the lavishness of the wealthy class (specifically George Washington Vanderbilt).

  • Poverty Among the Working Class

    • Many faced inadequate wages below comfortable living standards.

    • Economic turmoil characterized by the Panic of 1873 and Panic of 1893 affected the working class severely.

    • Wealthy classes remained insulated from these downturns, with workers experiencing substantial wage drops during economic crises.

    • Despite challenges, the rise of mass production led to decreased prices for common items, allowing some workers access to more goods and services.

    • Wages for industrial workers increased slightly, indicating a rise in living standards despite a growing income gap.

Labor Movement and Worker Struggles

  • Increased worker activism for fair wages and better safety protocols in hazardous working environments (e.g., factories, railroads, mining).

  • The nature of work led to thousands of injuries and premature deaths among workers.

  • Individual efforts for better conditions were typically met with job loss as managers could easily replace workers.

Formation of Labor Unions

  • Labor unions emerged as a solution for workers to have a collective voice.

    • Forms of resistance included political action, slowdowns, and strikes.

Notable Strikes

  1. Great Railroad Strike of 1877

    • Cause: Railroad companies slashed wages to save costs during a recession.

    • Outcome: Strike spread across eleven states, paralyzing more than 60% of national railroads. Violence ensued, leading to federal troop intervention by President Hayes and over 100 fatalities.

    • Result: Employers recognized the power of organized labor and began negotiations to improve wages and working conditions.

  2. Pullman Strike (1894)

    • Cause: The Pullman company cut wages in response to the Panic of 1893, leading to labor disputes.

    • Outcome: Eugene V. Debs led workers to refuse to service trains with Pullman cars, which, when linked to federal mail trains, led to government enforcement against strikers.

    • Result: Debs and other leaders were jailed, effectively breaking the strike and demonstrating the conflict between labor and federal authority.

Influential Labor Unions

  • Knights of Labor (public 1881)

    • Membership was inclusive (open to all workers, including blacks and women).

    • Main goals:

    • End child labor practices, noting that children as young as 10 constituted 18% of the workforce.

    • Abolition of trusts and monopolies.

    • Peak membership reached over 700,000, becoming a significant labor voice before its decline following the Haymarket Square Riot.

  • Haymarket Square Riot (1886)

    • Gathering for May Day labor movement advocating for an eight-hour workday ended violently with a bomb explosion blamed (without clear association) on anarchists.

    • Following public perception shifted against labor unions, linking them with violence, leading to declining membership for the Knights of Labor.

  • American Federation of Labor (AFL)

    • Led by Samuel Gompers, focused on skilled craft workers.

    • By 1901, membership neared one million with goals of higher wages and safer working conditions.

    • Though starting during this period, the AFL’s influence will be significantly felt in subsequent periods.

Conclusion

  • The struggles and developments of labor during the Gilded Age set foundational changes for labor movements in the future.

  • Continued encouragement to explore additional resources and engage with the material for better understanding and examination success.