What are Labor Unions and why did they develop?
Pullman Strike◦ Strike by railway
workers◦ President Grover
Cleveland sends in troops to break strike
◦ Proved that government favored business over labor
Haymarket Square Riot◦ Labor rally in
Chicago◦ Ended with a bomb
blast and riot leaving many dead (7 police officers)
◦ Knights of Labor were blamed for casualties
Monopolies restricted competition
Abuse of natural resources
Corporate wealth & power increased
Social Darwinism
60 hour week Unsafe, unhealthy
conditions No guarantees –
little job security Low wages Women & children
made even less
Industries unrestrained
Courts failed to support fair standards
Laissez-faire
FARMERS PROTESTS THE IMPORTANCE OF A THIRD POLITICAL
PARTY Increased circulation of money unlimited minting of silver progressive income tax government ownership of national
communication and transportation
Tax on imported goods-◦ discourages buying foreign goods and promotes domestic industry
farmers hurt◦raised prices of manufactured goods
◦reduced international market for American farm products
The Grange◦farmers formed cooperatives
◦common political causes
◦social outlet
Farmers Alliance◦Federal regulation of railroads
◦more money in circulation
◦women played a major role
Protect Social Welfare
Promote Moral Improvement
Reform corruption in government
Create economic reform
Journalists & writers
Artist & photographers
Investigated & exposed corruption & injustices
Pure Food & Drug Act
Meat Inspection Act
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle
Jacob Riis
Social Gospel
Building codes◦ Better lighting◦ Better ventilated◦ More sanitary
Settlement houses
Education, child care, social activities, Help finding jobs
Hull House – Chicago – Jane Addams
Political machines and bosses controlled local governments
These bosses earned votes by doing favors for people
Often these bosses accepted bribes and kickbacks
William M. Tweed controlled the New York City police, courts and newspapers
Accepted millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks
Went to jail in 1872
The practice of appointing people to public office on the basis of a personal relationship, rather than merits.
Pendleton Act - created the Civil Service Commission ◦Created an exam for Federal jobs
Wisconsin Idea- direct primary elections Seventeenth Amendment- direct election of
Senators Oregon System
◦initiative- voters could place issue on ballot◦referendum- voters could accept or reject laws◦recall- chance to remove unsatisfactory
elected officials
1902 United Mine Workers Strike ◦Teddy Roosevelt insisted that mine owners negotiate with union
1906 Hepburn Act- ◦government regulates railroad rates
1906 Pure Food and Drug Act - ◦regulates food industry
1890 SHERMAN ANTITRUST ACT By 1909 the government had filed 42 antitrust actions
Beef trust, Standard Oil and American Tobacco Industry broken up or reorganized
“SQUARE DEAL”- helps UnionsTRUSTBUSTER- attempted to break up 42 different trusts
CONSERVATIONIST- set aside 200 million acres for conservation
Teddy Roosevelt returns
◦tariff reduction◦women’s suffrage◦regulation of business◦end child labor◦eight hour work day◦workers compensation◦direct election of Senators – 17th Amendment