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American History Chapter 14-3

American History Chapter 14-3. Workers Organize. Gov’t . Regulates Big Business. 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act : Illegal to form trusts that interfered with free trade. Prohibited monopolies. The law did not define illegal trusts well & the gov’t . gave up on enforcement for awhile.

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American History Chapter 14-3

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  1. American History Chapter 14-3 Workers Organize

  2. Gov’t. Regulates Big Business • 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act: Illegal to form trusts that interfered with free trade. • Prohibited monopolies. • The law did not define illegal trusts well & the gov’t. gave up on enforcement for awhile.

  3. Working Conditions • 10 hr. work days/6 days a week. • No paid vacation or sick leave. • No compensation when injured on the job. • Sweatshops were common in the garment industry: • Cramped, hot, smelly, work spaces. • Longer hrs. w/no breaks to eat lunch. • Child labor.

  4. Sweatshops

  5. Changes in Labor • The poor working conditions led to the development of labor unions. • Knights of Labor: Founded 1869 in Phil., Pa. • 1880s Terrence Powderly led the union to its largest membership by including unskilled workers, women,& blacks. • Used negotiation, boycotts, & later, strikes.

  6. Strikes • 1877 Great Railroad Strike: • State militias & the U.S. Army put down the strike. • Millions of $ in damages & over 100 people died. • 1886 Haymarket Riot: Chicago, Il. • Crowds were protesting police violence at a strike. • A bomb was thrown into the crowd. Shots were fired. • 11 died, 100 + were injured. • Foreign unionists were blamed for the violence. • Led to widespread xenophobia: fear of foreigners.

  7. Strikes Continued: • Pullman Strike: 1893 • Pullman Co. laid off workers & cut wages. • Eugene Debs of the Am. Railway Union urged a strike. • Pres. Grover Cleveland sent in federal troops to end the strike. • Most workers who participated in the strike were fired or blacklisted.

  8. Employers Strike Back • Began to force employees to sign agreements not to join unions. • People perceived as troublemakers were put on blacklists. • Other companies wouldn’t hire those on the blacklists. • Scabs were brought in to replace striking workers.

  9. Don’t pick your scabs. Mom always said

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