APUSH Gang:
This week, read Ch. 11 of Zinn's "A People's History of the United States". The title of this chapter is "Robber Barons and Rebels". Please post your answers to these questions as a comment to this blog by Friday, Feb. 5:
1.) What successes did the labor movement score in the 1880's and 1890's?
2. Why did the Thibodaux workers go on strike? Was the strike successful? What accounts for its success or lack of success?
3. What were the demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891?
4. What was Frick's strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant? Did the plan work? Provide evidence to support your answer.
5. Why were black workers reluctant to support the Pullman strike?
Other assignments for the week:
-You will have a test on Thurs., 2/4, before you leave for Ybor City (if you're going). You will not be able to make up this test if you miss it unless you arrange an after-school appointment; if that is the case, you will have until Thurs., 2/11, to make it up. This test will cover Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, The Rise of Industrial America, Immigration, The Rise of Unions, and Urban America (American Pageant, Ch. 22-25). There are resources for you to use in preparing yourself that you can find on my website.
-DBQ - Immigration (in-class assignment for Mon., 2/1; essay due on Fri., 2/5).
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1. Machinery began to change farming; work was finished much faster than before. Electricity began to replace steam.
2. The Thibodaux workers lived in a village similar to a refugee community. The were penniless, and their refusal to work was a danger to the entire sugar crop. Martial law was declared, and the strike fails. Shooting breaks out on Nov 22, and 30 African Americans died, and hundreds were wounded.
3. The Tennessee coal miners demanded to be able to check the weight of the coal they mined, to receive the proper amount of money. After the company refuses and brings in convicts to take the worker's place, the miners take over the mining area, set 500 of the convicts free, and burn the stockades where the convicts were kept.
4. Frick decided to build a fence 3 miles long and 12 feet high, topped with barb wire and peepholes for rifles. This plan does not end up working, as the strikers met the barge containing the Pinkerton guards. When one of the guards tried to push past them, the strikers fired. After the shooting ceases, 7 are dead.
5. Blacks were reluctant to join because they had already been barred from joining the American Railway Union.
1.What successes did the labor movement score in the 1880's and 1890's?
-The labor movement had scored many successes between 1880 and 1890’s, “steam and electricity replaced human muscle, iron replaced wood, and steel replaced iron” (pg. 253). Not only that also “machines [had] changed farming” (pg. 253), making the process for efficient and less time consuming.
2.Why did the Thibodaux workers go on strike? Was the strike successful? What accounts for its success or lack of success?
-The Thibodaux workers went on strike because they felt as though they were being treated as dogs, and the pay they were receiving was not enough “to feed and clothe their families” (pg .274). This strike led to something even more and “on the night of November 22, shooting broke out… by noon the next day, thirty Negroes were dead or dying, and hundreds wounded… [while only] two whites were wounded” (pg. 274). If this doesn’t show that the strike was unsuccessful I do not know what will, after the fighting was over nothing had changed for the black workers and the whites had not be affected by the events that had taken place.
3.What were the demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891?
-The demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891 came after the Tennessee Coal Mine Company asked them to sign iron-clad contracts. The coal miners did not like this and refused to sign. After “a thousand armed miners took control of the mine area… and burned down the stockades… the companies surrendered” (pg. 275). When this occurred the miners stated that the convicts were to be released, stated they would not be required to sign the iron-clad contracts and also demanded that they were to be able to check on the weight of the coal they mined.
4.What was Frick's strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant? Did the plan work? Provide evidence to support your answer.
-Frick’s felt as though breaking the steel workers’ union at the Homestead steel plant would be easy if he had a good strategy. “Frick decided to reduce the workers’ wages… he [then] built a fence 3 miles long and 12 feet high around the steelworks and topped it with barbed wire, adding peepholes for rifles” (pg. 276). When these workers’ resisted the pay cuts he immediately laid off the work force. Although to Frick’s dismay his plan does not work and eventually the workers came together surrounding the Pinkerton guards. “When a Pinkerton man tried to shove [a striker] aside, he fired” (pg. 276). After this shots were fired from both sides and seven workers were killed.
5.Why were black workers reluctant to support the Pullman strike?
-The “black workers were in no mood to cooperate with the strikers” (pg 279) because they had been left out of the American Railway Union. Once this was finalized “at a convention in 1894… by a vote of 112 to 100" (pg. 279) the black workers had made up their minds. They would not be assisting the whites in the Pullman strike.
1.) What successes did the labor movement score in the 1880's and 1890's?
The labor movement scored big with pneumatic drills drilling for more coal. Machinary also changed the farming, by making it easier to transport with manufactured ice. Electricity started to replace steam, and electrical wiring replaced the former copper wires.
2. Why did the Thibodaux workers go on strike? Was the strike successful? What accounts for its success or lack of success?
The refugee village of Thibdaux went on strike because their absence of work threatened the sugar crop. The strike failed because martial law was declared. On November 22 shooting broke out, leaving 30 blacks dead, hundreds wounded and 2 whites injured.
3. What were the demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891?
The Tennesse coal miners demanded that there be no "ironclad-contract" and that they could weigh their own coal, since they got paid by weight.
4. What was Frick's strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant? Did the plan work? Provide evidence to support your answer.
Frick's strategy was to build a 3 mile, 12 foot high fence around the factory. The plan however didn't work because Pinkerton guards and striker got into a shooting brawl. leaving 7 workers killed. The guards retreated, only to be surrounded and beaten to death. This left the strikers in control of the area for the next several days.
5. Why were black workers reluctant to support the Pullman strike?
Blacks were reluctant to support the Pullman strike because they weren't allowed to join the American Railway Union.
1. Working processes became more efficient using machinery, electricity was beginning to be used instead of steam, and steel was revolutionizing buildings and railroads.
The strikes of the eighties and nineties were more organized than those in 1877. There were revolutionary movements influencing labor struggles, with the ideas of socialism affecting the leaders of labor organizations. Radical literature spoke of fundamental changes and the new possibilities of living.
2. Thibodaux became a refuge village for strikers that were evicted from their homes. They refused to work, threatening the entire sugar crop. This strike was not successful because martial law was declared on the workers, and the two leaders of the Knights of Labor were captured and never seen again. Many strikers were left dead or wounded.
2. Many workers of the Tennessee Coal Mine Company went on strike after being asked to sign an “iron-clad contract”: pledging no strikes, pay in scrip, and the right to weigh the coal that they got to keep. The workers refused to sign the contract and were replaced with convicts. One night, many armed miners burned down the stockades where the convicts were kept. The company surrendered to the strike, and agreed not to use convicts or require the “iron-clad contract” to be signed.
3. Henry Clay Frick decided to reduce the worker’s wages and build a fence around the steelworkers with holes for rifles. When the workers did not accept the pay cut, Frick laid off the whole force. The Pinkerton detective agency was hired to protect the strikebreakers. The workers voted to strike, and were met by the Pinkerton guards at the plant. The crowd warned the Pinkertons not to step off the barge, and gunfire started on both sides. After deaths on both sides occurred, the Pinkertons voted to surrender. The strikers controlled the area for the next several days until the state militia took action. The strike leaders were charged with murder, but they were acquitted by friendly juries. Strikebreakers were brought in to the plant without any knowledge of the strike, and kept production going. The strike failed ultimately because the other Carnegie plants continued production, and workers took pay cuts and hour increases without resistance as a whole.
5. Eugene Debs formed the American Railway Union to unite all railway workers. He wanted to include everyone, but when the Knights of Labor stepped in, the blacks were kept out. Debs felt that this may have had a crucial effect on the outcome of the Pullman strike, since the black workers were not in any hurry to support the strikers that excluded them.
1.) What successes did the labor movement score in the 1880's and 1890's?
labor unions were set up, knights of labor
women were becoming more involved in the community and working
men and women went on strike and won higher wages and shorter hours
Socialist Labor party formed 1877
Workers united to fight for equal rights
A mass movement for the eight hour work day led 350,000 workers to go on strike
Why did the Thibodaux workers go on strike? Was the strike successful? What accounts for its success or lack of success?
Workers went on strike, demanding “A Dollar a Day or Kansas”. With the 75 cents earned daily, families were unable to clothe or feed their families so they had to go on strike. The militia arrived and 30 were killed while hundreds were injured so it was unsuccessful. Zinn doesn’t state that the workers received what they were fighting for, a dollar a day, so that would also make their strike unsuccessful.
What were the demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891?
The Tennessee Coal Mine Company wanted to force their workers to sign an “iron clad contract” that stated that workers could not go on strike, they would be paid in scrip, and they could not weigh the coal they mined because the company wanted to rip them off apparently. The miners were angered by this contract, went on strike and set free hundreds of convicts. The company caved and agreed to no longer use convicts, get rid of the contract, and miners were allowed to weigh the coal they mined.
What was Frick's strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant? Did the plan work? Provide evidence to support your answer.
Frick decided to reduce worker’s wages to break their union. If the workers didn’t accept this new plan of action, the entire work force would be fired. They decided to go on strike, took over the town, and attacked Pinkerton guards arriving on a barge. Both sides suffered casualties and after a 4 month strike, the workers had no choice but to return to work. The strike was too small to go up against such a large company as Carnegie’s Steel Plant and the workers were defenseless against the big boss.
5. Why were black workers reluctant to support the Pullman strike?
Well for one thing, blacks were not allowed to jpin the Knights of Labor after a convention in 1894, ruling 112 to 100 against blacks joining. This would cause them to feel unwanted, so why would they support the strikers who don’t want their support?
1.) The successes that the labor movement scored in the 1880s and 1890s were steam and electricity which replaced human muscle (and work got done much faster); iron replaced wood, and then steel replaced iron.
2.) The Thibodaux workers went on strike because they were poorly treated and the Louisiana plantation owners would not agree to what the workers wanted. They wanted a dollar a day just so they could clothe and feed their families, they were denied. So the workers went on strike, their refusal to work threatened the entire sugar crop, and martial law was declared. The strike failed when on November 22 shooting broke out and 30 blacks were killed and 100 or so wounded.
3.) The demands on the Tennessee coal miners in 1891 were the right to check the weight of coal they mined (they were paid by the weight), and they did not want to get paid in scrip’s.
4.) Frick’s strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant was to buil a 3 mile long and 12 feet high fence around the steelworks that was topped with barbwire, and adding peepholes for rifles. When the workers did not accept the pay cut he laid off the entire work force, and the Pinkerton detective agency was hired to protect the strikebreakers. The plan did not work, even though only 750 workers belonged to the Union a good 3000 met and voted to strike. They took over the town and were unable to be stopped.
5.) The blacks workers were reluctant to support the Pullman strike because at a convention in 1894, the provision in the constitution barring blacks was affirmed by a vote of 112 to 110, so they were in no mood to cooperate with the strikers.
1.) What successes did the labor movement score in the 1880's and 1890's?
-There were a few major successes that the labor movement scored in the 1880's and 1890's. Steam and electricity replaced the power of human muscle, iron replaced wood, and steel replaced iron. The machines now were able to drive steel tools and oil was used to lubricate the machinery, and light up homes, streets, and factories.
2. Why did the Thibodaux workers go on strike? Was the strike successful? What accounts for its success or lack of success?
-The Thibodaux workers went on strike because the treatment they recieved by their bosses was unjust. The workers wanted one dollar a day instead of 75 cents. They marched down roads protesting with signs that said "A DOLLAR A DAY OR KANSAS." They threatened to leave if their needs weren't met. They needed the extra money to provide for their family. They're proposal was refused. Them quitting and leaving thereatened the entire sugar crop therefore martial law was declared in Thibodaux. The stirke proved to be unsuccessful. On the night of November 22, a shooting broke out, and claimed the lives of 2230 negores and hundreds wounded. This strike failed because the government had the upper hand in this battle. The government proved to be more efficient than the protesting under-class.
3. What were the demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891?
- In 1891, Tennessee Coal Mine Company miners were asked to sign the "iron-clad contracts." These contracts stated that the miners would no go on strike, they would get paind in scrip, and giving up the right to have thei mined coal weighed (they were paid depending on the weight of their coal). They refused to sign these contracts and were evicted from their houses and convicts were brought in to replace them. On October 31, 1891, 1000 armed miners set 500 convicts free, took control of the mine area, and burned down stockades where the convicts were kept. The companies surrenedered and took back the contracts.
4. What was Frick's strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant? Did the plan work? Provide evidence to support your answer.
-While Carnegie was away, Frick was appointed to cut employee wages. Frick was smart and built a 3 mile long, and 12 feet high fence topped with barbwire. When the workers didn't comply with the pay cut, he laid them all off. The workers decided to go on strike. The Pinkerton detective agency supposrted the stikers. The strikers won this battle. The government stepped in and provided aid for Frick. There was a total of 7 deaths. The strike leaders were arrested and charged for murder.
5. Why were black workers reluctant to support the Pullman strike?
-Blacks were reluctant to support the Pullman Strike because they weren't included in the American Railway Union. Blacks had been left out of the American Railway Union by a 112 to 100 voting. Since they weren't included with them to begin with, they saw no need to support them.
1.) What successes did the labor movement score in the 1880's and 1890's?
Electricity and steam replaced other methods of labor. Iron was used instead of wood and other weaker substances. Then, Steel replaced iron.
2. Why did the Thibodaux workers go on strike? Was the strike successful? What accounts for its success or lack of success?
Workers wanted more money than their salary of 75 cents. The strike ended up being unsuccessful because the government got involved and put an end to it.Many were injured or killed.
3. What were the demands of the Tennessee coal miners in 1891?
The coal miners wanted the right to weigh their own coal, since they were paid by how much they mined.
4. What was Frick's strategy to break the steel workers' union at the Homestead steel plant? Did the plan work? Provide evidence to support your answer.
Frick set up a large wall with barbed wire at the top and holes for rifles. He lowered the wages of his employees in order to break up the union. He also threatened to fire everyone of they did not agree. A four-month strike started after that but soon, the workers had no choice but to return back to work. You could say that Frick's plan worked because the strike failed against such a large organization.
5. Why were black workers reluctant to support the Pullman strike?
Black workers were not allowed to join the union so they were reluctant to support the strike. They might not have gotten anything out of it if they did, since they weren't part of the union.
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