The Role Of Industrialization In The Gilded Age

Through what they wanted, they achieved and changed many aspects of life in the workforce. The Union Pacific Railroad cut wages and the workers wanted their original wages. “The executive board called for Knights to strike and trains were stopped and the cars uncoupled, engines were ‘killed,’ and widespread sabotage, in some cases leading to disorder and violence, spread throughout the Southwest”(Applby et al. 286). The Labor Union was successful here and the result was that the Union Pacific Railroad was forced to increase the wages to the original amount in order to run. This inspired many more people to join the Knights of Labor because they believe they could fight for what was right. They thought this, by seeing change committed and this is shown against Joseph R. Buchanan and his Union Pacific Railroad. People also started to want to join the Knights of Labor because they had a lot of money that was rumored and were affecting people in the railroads(Foner and Garraty). “Within a few years, the Knights of Labor expanded and allowed all workers to join. In 1878, they released this public statement about the goals of their society. No longer a secret society, the Knights of Labor grew into one of the largest labor unions in the United States. By 1886, the Knights of the Labor boasted 500,000 members”(Foner and Garrety). This helped the Knights of Labor by accepting all sorts

The employers declared their opposition to these Boycotts by saying that were “un-american and anti-american”, and then they went turned to courts against the Unions. The most successful labor union, Knights of Labor was established in 1869 in Philadelphia. The Knights believed in a government determined by the people and production determined by the workers. Labor reform was one of the key objectives of the Knights of Labor. To the Gilded age labor reformers the debasement of politics and society rested in part on the capacity of the rich to corrupt governments in their own self interests. They Knights said that, “We declare an inevitable and irresistible conflict between the wage system of labor and republican system of government” (Rosenzweig,Pg 95-96). Knights of Labor extended their memberships to all of the working-class instead of just limiting to “skilled workers”. They broke the norm from other labor movements by including women, African Americans, Mexicans in their movements, who were previously shut out of the labor movement. While in some states, the Knights held combined assemblies where the Black and the White workers joined forces in demonstrations, some other places held separate assemblies and this garnered criticizm from some the skilled African American laborers(Rosenzweig, Pg 97). The knights excluded non producers such as lawyers, bankers, speculators, and

The Gilded Age was characterized by rapid industrialization, reconstruction, ruthless pursuit of profit, government, corruption, and vulgarity (Cashman 1). After the Civil War, America was beginning to regroup as a nation. There were many other changes developing in the country. Industrialization was taking over the formerly agricultural country. The nation’s government was also in great conflict (Foner 20). Many changes occurred during the Gilded Age. These changes affected farmers, labor, business, and politics.

Knights of Labor is a national labor organization with a broad reform platform reached peak membership in the 1800s . In 1869 - Another labor group of national had emerged . The failure of the railroad striked in 1886 . Knights also declined because its leaders spent more time promoting national reforms than focusing on better wages . American Federation of labor is founded in 1886 of trade unions made up ofskilled workers . Differences between the knights of labor and the American federation of labor is that the knights of labor was more radical , in 1879 Terrence Powderly led the knights and Samuel led the afl

The small union quickly gained traction and within 17 years the Knights of Labor consisted of 700,000 members. The Knights of Labor demanded better pay, a shorter work day, the banning of child labor, and amend the tax laws

The Knights of Labor was started around the early 1870's. They were formed due to poor working conditions and unfair pay for hard work. The knight's accepted all workers whether they were skilled or unskilled. Strikes were key in order to have more of a effect on big business and cooperation's. The American Federation of Labor ,unlike the KOL, only accepted skilled workers. Lead by Samuel Gompers, the AFL believed in "keeping it simple". He didn't want any unskilled workers because he knew that AFl would be more stronger and political if they were excuded. But being simplistic and keeping the support from the government and public actually worked. The latter or "bread and butter" was more towards working conditions and pay rather than having

The Second Industrial Revolution, also known as the “Gilded Age,” was a time period after reconstruction to World War I. This period was a time when new technologies helped bring about urbanization and make it possible for innovations in technology. It was also a time when many monopolies came about in the United States economy. Some of the major industries that came about was oil, railroads, finance, and most importantly steel. These industries were mainly dominated by one large company, or a monopoly, that was about to control prices on these materials. The owners of these monopolies were extremely rich men, and while monopolies are now considered illegal, back then, they weren’t.

The Knights of Labor was a standard labor union comprised of individual workers across the nation. They were inclusive in terms, employing both skilled workers in crafts industries as well as unskilled laborers such as coalminers. (Rayback, 1966, p. 168). They had limited political objectives such as the eight-hour workday and the prohibition of child and convict labor. Their broader objectives were social: to improve the image and social status of the working man.

The Knights of Labor were founded in December of 1869. This was all because American workers began to start national labor unions in order to negotiate with big corporations.The Knights were unique in allowing women, farmers, and others usually not associated with organized labor to become members. All "toilers" except doctors, lawyers, bankers, liquor dealers, and professional gamblers were eligible to enroll. The Knights also welcomed African Americans, although most blacks, were in segregated local assemblies. One African American, David Black, served on the Knights' state executive board.

One factor during the Gilded Age that changed American business and labor practices was the abundance of supplies. The United States had all the raw materials it could ever ask for like: coal, oil, iron ore, copper, lead, and timber. Why was this important to the U.S? This kept the U.S. from having to purchase these things from foreign countries. The United States also had an abundance of labor supply between 1865 and 1900. This gave U.S. factories a steady supply of cheap labor, there was always more workers

The Gilded Age was a very special time for our nation that took place from the 1870s to around 1900. During this time, economic growth was at a rapid increase, politics were corrupted yet had high turnouts, and urbanization flourished. Every aspect of the life of an American changed drastically throughout this time of the Gilded Age. The entire era was focused on the enormous changes that each aspect of America was going through. As this is brought to attention, if we are to look into the way that America is in our time of today, we can find that there are many similarities to that of the original Gilded Age. The United States of America have currently found themselves to be experiencing the second era of the Gilded Age throughout the areas of economic, politic and social transformation.

We are living on the verge of the second part of the Gilded Age right now. The Gilded age is considered years 1870-1890. While the 21st century, today, is reliving the late 19th century. This age consisted of people seeking a new beginning and moving to the United States because they believed that America was the place to be for a new and better beginning. Many people would reference America's streets were "paved with gold,” little did they know the road they would have to travel to actually believe such a thing to be true. The United States has faced many different changes some for the greater good and some for the worse. The 21st century is repeating the Gilded age not only socially, but also culturally, economically, and politically.

With the gilded age came social issues for example labor disputes. The workers felt like machines and

The National Labor Union would be one of the first such organizations that sprung up in order to represent skilled craft workers and defend their right against their employers. The National Labor Union had a philosophy which, by the standards of the 19th century, would be considered progressive and ahead of their time. They lobbied for a standardized 8 hour workday and equal opportunity employment rights for minorities and women. The next major organization to step up and represent the interest of employees was the Knights of Labor. The Knights of Labor had a philosophy of accepting skilled and unskilled workers alike, calling it and one big union approach. Their beliefs included many ideas that involved social reform, like putting a stop to the so called wage system. The Knights of Labor though did not however approve of using striking by its members as a tactic to pressure employees to except their contract demands.

The Knights of Labor was once a secret society of tailors that allowed fair job opportunities to come available to those who were seeking jobs.(“Knights of Labor” history.com) Strikes began to happen because unions were unhappy about their working conditions and their wages. The Knights came into play to stop the unions from striking, to achieve this they gave them fair wages and fair working conditions. In 1879 Terence Vincent Powderly took office and the Knights flourished under his leadership. More than seven hundred thousand members had joined the Knights after Powderly became leader. The Knights were known for allowing different sexes and races to work. “On the other hand, the Knights strongly supported the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Contract Labor Law of 1885; like many labor leaders at the time, Powderly believed these laws were needed to protect the American work force against competition from underpaid laborers imported by unscrupulous