STRIKES ROCK THE NATION Haymarket Square Strike (1886) – Following a nation- wide strike for an 8 hour workday… Haymarket Square in Chi-Town = Haymarket Riot Protests of anarchists + radicals broke out in protest, a bomb was thrown and killed a police officer Violence followed, many more (around 30) killed Knights of Labor dissolved as a result (memberships stopped to a halt) Many Americans skeptical of union activities

HOMESTEAD STRIKE (1892) Carnegie Steel plant in Homestead, PA Cut workers wages b/c economic depression & strike is called Henry Frick, calls in the Pinkertons to break up the strike A non-affiliated anarchists tried to assassinate Frick but the public associates this w/ the union Eventually, gov’t calls in troops to put down strike

PULLMAN STRIKE (1893) Pullman Palace Car Co, laid off 25% of workers and cut wages 1894  group of workers living in the company town went to collectively bargain with Pullman. He fired 3 and shut down the plant Workers turned to the A.R.U. led by Eugene Debs who called a nationwide strike! (300,000 ppl) Railroad and mail stopped, Sherman Anti-Trust act worked against the strikers (strike halted free trade) Pres. Cleveland called in militia, who ended the strike Debs put in jail for anti-commerce conspiracy

EFFECTS OF THE LABOR MVM’T New trend: Employers appeals to courts to suppress all union activity, citing the Sherman Antitrust Act. ∴ Union membership halted for 30+ years Debs became a Socialist and founded the IWW Radical union of unskilled workers, that led many violent

IMMIGRATION AND URBANIZATION

THE NEW IMMIGRANTS Between 1870 and 1900 the foreign-born population in the US nearly doubled Predominantly Catholic and Jewish immigrants from southern and eastern Europe Sought out work in cities as opposed the old immigrants (northern and western Europe) who sought out farm work

PUSH FACTORS…WHY DID THEY LEAVE? Land reform, farmers forced off of their lands Religious persecution of Jews in Russia

PULL FACTORS…WHY DID THEY COME? Job opportunities in the U.S. “Chain Immigrants” following family and friends who already headed to the U.S. Religious freedom No fear of the government

HOW DID THE IMMIGRANTS GET HERE? Packed limited items and often traveled in the steerage. Illness spread easily and quickly

ELLIS ISLAND Steerage passengers were sent to Ellis Island for inspection Medical Inspection Only about 2% sent back island/videos/deconstructing-history-ellis-island island/videos/deconstructing-history-ellis-island

ANGEL ISLAND (1910) Port on the west coast where Chinese and other Asian immigrants entered the U.S. After 1882 most Chinese immigrants were turned away (before Angel Island was built). Often held for weeks/months in very poor conditions Chinese Exclusion Act:

IMMIGRANTS IN THE U.S. Most immigrants settle in cities in ghettoes Tenement homes, spread of disease, dirty water, no garbage pickup Often lived with people from their ethnicity

ASSIMILATION INTO THE U.S. Americanization The process of teaching immigrants to become American Learn English Cook American food Melting Pot vs the Salad Bowl Nativism – belief that native-born, white Americans were superior Usually these people were the OLD immigrants  Protestant, from North/West Europe who looked down upon the NEW immigrants

IMMIGRANTS CHANGE AMERICA Important source of labor Helped fuel industrial growth Joined unions and fought for a voice… leads to the Gilded Age corruption of city bosses