Transcript Mr. Bailey

The Rise of Smokestack America
The Gilded Age
Old Immigration 1843-1884
Until 1880, three quarters of the old immigrants
hailed from the British Isles, Germany, and
Scandinavia.
By 1890, old immigrants composed only 60
percent of the total number of newcomers, and
the “new immigrants” from southern and eastern
Europe made up most of the rest.
1844 Telegraph Invented
Revolutionized communications and
allowed the Union troops to take orders
from Lincoln himself rather than
messengers.
Stimulated experimentation into electricity
and the eventual creation of the light bulb
in 1879.
1850s- Steam power used in
manufacturing
Effects: Increased production and faster
production times. Used in the steel
industry among others.
1859- Value of U.S. Industrial Production
exceeds value of agricultural production
So? Milestone in U.S. history…indicated we
were heading towards an industrial society.
National Labor Union founded 1859
Supported a range of causes including:
Temperance
Women’s rights
Establishment of cooperatives to bring the
“wealth of the land” into “the hands of those who
produce it,” thus ending “wage slavery.”
NLU failed when they tried to create a political
party and the depression of 1873 hit.
Transcontinental Railroad
Completed 1869
Began a burst of railroad construction.
By 1890, trains were traveling across
165,000 miles of tracks with Western Union
lines running along them.
Other impacts?
1869 Knights of Labor Organized
Terence V. Powderly made the secret society public in
1879.
Sought “to secure to the workers the full enjoyment of the
wealth they create.”
By 1886 they had 700,000 people but were only as
successful as their reforms.
Replaced by the American Federation of Labor in the
1890’s as the nation’s dominant union.
1870 Standard Oil of Ohio
Part of John D. Rockefeller’s empire of oil
refineries.
By 1898 he owned 84% of the nation’s oil.
Standard Oil was a near monopoly that
would eventually be broken up by Antitrust
laws.
1870’s-1880’s
Consolidation of continental railroad
network.
Railroad leaders sought stability through
eliminating ruinous competition.
Set uniform rates, or tried to, but were not
too successful.
1873
Bethlehem Steel begins using Bessemer
Process
Before the process, iron was soft and weak.
The Bessemer converter transformed iron into
steel by forcing air through the liquid iron, thus
reducing the carbon.
1873-1879 Depression
Collapsing land values, unsound banking practices, and
changes in the supply of money had caused the
antebellum depressions.
The depressions of post war America were based on
industry, were intense, and accompanied by widespread
unemployment.
Over saturation of the market due to overproduction led
to economic downturns.
1876
Alexander G. Bell invents telephone.
Thomas Edison establishes his “invention
factory.”
What are the impacts?
1877
Railroad workers hold first nationwide industrial
strike
Immediate cause of the disturbance was the
railroad owners’ decision to reduce wages.
Was put down by federal troops due to big
businessmen asking the government for help.
1882 Chinese Exclusion Act
The law, with the support of the KOL in the west,
prohibited the immigration of both skilled and
unskilled Chinese workers for a ten-year period.
Extended in 1892 and made permanent in 1902.
1885-1914 “New Immigration”
New immigrants were from southern and eastern
Europe. Italian Catholics and eastern European
Jews were the most numerous, followed by Slavs.
Transatlantic vessels helped to increase
immigration.
Review 571-574
1886
American Federation of Labor Founded
Founder- Samuel Gompers
Focused on higher wages, shorter hours, safety, and right to
organize
Believed in the right to strike as a means to get these things.
1,000,000 in 1900
Haymarket Riot
The “riot” was a peaceful protest until the Chicago police arrived
and a bomb exploded. 7 police were killed
No one knows who planted it, but 8 anarchists were tried and
convicted. Four executed, one suicide, and three prison terms.
1887 Interstate Commerce Act
Required that railroad rates be “reasonable and
just,” that rate schedules be made public, and
that practices such as rebates be discontinued.
Set up the first federal regulatory agency, the
Interstate Commerce Commission. The ICC had
the power to investigate and prosecute
lawbreakers (big businessmen) but was weak.
1892 Standard Oil of NJ/ Coeur
d’Alene strike
Standard Oil’s monopoly expands.
Workers go on strike when employers install machine
drills in the mine, reduced skilled workers to shovel
men, and lowered wages a dollar a day.
Army puts it down armed men, arrests several
hundred, and tries them.
Led to creation of the Western Federation of Miners.
1892 Homestead Workers Strike
Homestead steel mills near Pittsburg.
Carnegie purchased the house and put Henry Clay Frick in charge.
Frick wanted to destroy their union and have them renegotiate their
contract. The workers protested.
Frick puts fences around the plant and puts armed Pinkertons up to
protect the factory.
Armed battle ensues, Pinkertons retreat, 8,000 troops are called in,
someone tries to assassinate Frick.
Drew attention to plight of strikes.
1893 Chicago’s World Fair
Many nations participated in the fair.
Presented new technological innovations like
electricity.
1893-1897 Depression
Reasons?
1894 Pullmans Railroad Strike
Pullman, maker of railroad cars, controlled all
aspects of workers’ lives.
As the depression worsened, Pullman cut wages
by 1/3 and laid off many workers.
Workers strike, President Cleveland calls in
federal troops and battle ensues.
1900
International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union Founded
With the lack of the AFL supporting women’s rights in
the workplace the ILGWU was established.
Men still dominated the organization.
Corporations responsible for 2/3 of U.S. manufacturing
Impacts?
Homework
Essay
Explain the rise of unions in the United States. Why
were they created? How were they received? Give
examples.
Test Corrections
MUST DO ALL THAT YOU GOT WRONG
Handwritten
Write out question and correct answer with brief
explanation why.