Industrialization In The Gilded Age Essay

He then served as second vice president of the CMIU from 1886 to 1896, when he was elevated to first vice president. In the 1880s, Gompers was also very educated in establishing the Federation of Organized Trades and labor Unions, which he served as vice president from 1880 -1886 then after he changed the organization’s name from F.O.T.L.U. to A.F.L. Gompers was later elected as its very first president, a position he held for nearly forty years. He distrusted intellectual reformers, and feared their influence would sidetrack labour’s efforts away from economic goals. With his election as president of the AFL in 1886, he wanted to build a national federation of trade union dedicated to these principles. He immediately threw himself into the organization’s first big effort a nationwide general strike on May 1,1886 in support of an eight hour

Between 1810’s and 1860’s, American capitalists and workers had turned towards the innovations of the steam engine, power loom, and other new technologies

In a time when the United States changed from a predominantly rural nation to a modern industrial society called the Gilded age. During these times America saw massive waves of immigration and huge technological advances, such as the Transcontinental Railroad and the electric motor. Due to this industrialization workers like industrial workers and farmers responded in many ways. Farmers and Industrial workers responded to industrialization during the Gilded Age by establishing the Farmer’s Alliance, work unions, and the formation of the Populist Party.

The Labor movement in the United States grew out of control and lost the need to protect the common interest of most workers. For those in the industrial sector, organized labor unions fought for better wages, easier hours and safer working conditions. 20th-century labor improved because of American Federation of Labor, the Knights of Labor and Amalgamated Association all helped change America and give people proper working conditions The Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers (AAISTW) was an early steelworkers labor organization, which represented primarily English-speaking, white skilled workers. The Amalgamated Association had a little over 24,000 people making it one of the largest unions in the American Federation of Labor.

Before the structured labor society that we live in today, America was a very different working world; one plagued with injustice and grievances from workers across the job sectors. Two organizations, the Knights of Labor and later the American Federation of Labor acted as activists for reform and demanded better standards for working, living, and life for workers. Their strategies and success in achieving their goals were as different as the organizations themselves. Coming from a time of segregation and social divide, the Knights of Labor stood out as one of the most accepting labor unions of the age, which largely accounted for their membership to reach almost 800,000 members during its peak. All workers in a trade were included, regardless of their skill level.

During the period of 1860-1900, there were many factors that helped to promote America’s industrial growth. With railroads increasing commerce, a large supply of necessary resources: coal, iron, and water, help from the supportive government, and a large wave of new immigrants it really was irresistible to not turn into a much more mechanized country. Once the 20th century was upon us, America was one of the greatest industrial nations in the World. Industrialization is what has led this country to be as successful as we know it today. As shown in Document 2, in 1860, there were less than 40,000 miles of railroad track.

The feeling, shown in Nast's illustration after the railroad strike of 1877, that amalgamations simply lead to more " communistic values" and general uniformity made it very arduous to genuinely get anything done. Samuel Gompers, progenitor of the American Federation of Labor, argued that the right to strike was absolutely obligatory if any reforms were going to be made and not even this right had been officially granted to the people by regime (Document I). Gompers made it very pellucid that not even the very substratum of organized labor had been established and so up until this point the advances that had been made, were virtually frivolous. In conclusion, from 1875-1900 very few advances were made through organized labor in achieving better working conditions for workers.

In a time after the Civil War, when a transcontinental railroad was created connecting the East and West, people began to move and settle across the country, creating new urban cities and manufacturing hubs. It was because of the railroad that the Second Industrial Revolution and the Gilded Age took place which rapidly increased the manufacturing of products through the new machines in factories and the spread of ideas by the telegraph and railroad. It was in this context that many farmers, as well, began to move West and experience a loss in the prices of their crops. It is also in this context that many workers were forced to work long, laborious hours with little pay. Farmers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age by forming organizations such as the Granger movement and the Farmers Alliance as well as creating the Populist Party.

With the frustration of employees, labor unions started to form on the premise of political alliances and by getting themselves some attention by protesting/ making laws of their working condition. To persuade opulent politician, many saw protesting as the answer to their conditions as like the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, while the Knights of Labor and Greenback-Labor Party did so by using their strong political bend to get what they want like the Granger laws (p.565-567). Protesting is a strong factor in order to get things done, but if you have to many people, there will be internal factions who want something else, compare to political diplomacy which is more structured. The major deeds of these groups were to have a 8 hour workday, no child labor, and safety laws (p.566-567). Having these centralize plan these groups can expand their ideas to politicians, its better than having no plan.

Following the influx of immigrants in the late 1800s, many industries began to seize the opportunities for profit but left the question if the principle of liberty was still upheld. In the 2nd Industrial Revolution, workers suffered low wages, prolonged working hours, and unhealthy conditions. Despite the labor reform movements before the Civil War such as those to purify Lowell Factories, laborers were still reduced in significance against their corporations that only regarded the workers, ready for any job due to having no other choice. However, the growth of unions and strikes shaped the way that industry was going to become for the future. For instance, several workers were overworked often making them incapable of work.

In a time when America was coming out of the bloodiest war that was ever fought, against themselves, The Civil War, and when America looked overseas for a new frontier with Imperialism. It is in this context that America started to grow westward with farm land and in industry with the million of workers, but America still felt growing pains. Two significant ways in which farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age (1865-1900) were the formation of organizations to protect farmers, and the creation of labor unions and the use of strikes to protect the workers. One significant way in which farmers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age (1865 - 1900) was the formation of organizations to protect farmers. During Westward Expansion farmers fell victims to the low pricing of the crops.

The Homestead Strike, which culminated with a day-long gun battle on July 6 that left 12 dead and dozens wounded, led to a wave of de-unionization. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) began organizing unskilled iron and steel workers into federal unions in 1901. The AFL did not account for the hardening anti-union attitudes of U.S. Steel executives and plant managers, and the federation had no real plan to counterbalance the vast financial resources the company would pour into anti-union espionage, strikebreaking and union avoidance measures.

Introduction The First Industrial Revolution The First Industrial Revolution, which peaked during the late 18th century, started a new phase in human history, despite the terrible working conditions and unfair treatments in the factory. The First Industrial Revolution, which started the technological development in Europe during 1760 to 1830, was largely limited to Britain.

Long gone were the days of farming and the labor that followed with sustaining that livelihood. Most Americans participated in the industrial boom that followed in the early 20th century. The events

It also led to the involvement of child labor and people belonging to all genders. It was only after the Civil War that the nation’s railroads became extensive enough to distribute the excess product created by the industrialized factories across different regions. Between 1865 and 1920, industries began to industrialize with the advancements in technology. The result of industrialization was more economic activity aimed at distributing and selling the products.