Download - Video: The Unfinished Nation: A New Corporate Order Describe the labor and working conditions during the rise of industrialization. –Wages too low, threats

Video: The Unfinished Nation: A New Corporate Order

• Describe the labor and working conditions during the rise of industrialization.– Wages too low, threats of layoffs, 12 hour days, accidents were

high, pace of work increased…etc.

• Describe the working conditions for children.– Dirty, long hours, dangerous

• Who were the Knights of Labor and what were they trying to do?– A union allowing all but stockbrokers, lawyers & liquor dealers

to join. They tried to help workers gain better working conditions and shorter hours.

• What types of Unions were organized for women?– Garment Workers’ Union


• Who was excluded from labor unions?– immigrants

• Describe some of the strikes and what the workers wanted (were fighting for).– 1877- national RR strike due to cut in wages– 1886- strikes for 8 hour day– Garment Workers’ Strike- strikes for length of

workday and unsafe conditions


• Were the unions and strikes successful in this time period? Explain your response.– No, unions were not successful

• Government declared unions illegal & used courts to stop union actions

• Businesses used violence and private police forces to put down strikes


• What were the greatest changes in American life between the Civil War and the early 1900’s?– Growth of cities– Growth of American industry– Large waves of immigration

These questions are covered in the video and in the reading:

• What are industrial (trade) unions?– United all craft workers and common laborers in a

particular industry (job area)

• Describe the techniques used to prevent unions from forming

– Required workers to take oaths or sign contract– Hired detectives to identify union workers– Blacklisted organizers, locked out strikers, hired

scabs

These questions are covered in the video and in the reading:

• What can you conclude about society’s ideas regarding women based on their roles in the workplace in the late 1800’s?– Worked in jobs considered “women’s work”

• 1/3 worked as domestic servants• 1/3 worked as teachers, nurses & secretaries• 1/3 in light industrial jobs believed to be

appropriate to gender: garment work & food processing

– Women were paid 1/3-1/2 less than men

Additional Study Questions – Section reading pp. 248-249

• Define corporation.– Organization owned by many people but treated by

law as though it were a single person or entity

• How had the economy changed by the 1900’s?– Big business dominated the economy, operating

vast complexes of factories, warehouses and offices

• What are corporations able to do with the money that they raise form the sale of stock?

– Invest in new technologies, hire a large workforce, & purchase many machines, greatly increasing their efficiency


• How did small businesses do against corporations?

– Not well. It was difficult to compete. Many small companies were forced out of business.


• Describe the idea of vertical integration.– One company owns all

different parts of a business on which it depends on operation. Instead of paying companies- it owns them!


• Describe horizontal integration.– Combining many

smaller firms/businesses that provide the same thing into a large corporation.

What is the goal of this game?


• What is a monopoly?– When a single company achieves control of

an entire market or industry.

• What were the arguments for and against monopolies?

– For: had to keep prices low so that competition would not reappear w/ lower prices.

– Against: companies could charge whatever they wanted for the product. No choice.

Triangle Factory Fire

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire


• What caused many workers to decide they needed to organize unions to improve their working conditions?

– Working conditions were difficult and dangerous and wages were low.

• What are the benefits of a labor union?– Workers can negotiate higher wages &

better working conditions by working together


• What were the three major problems unions faced as they tried to organize?

– There were no laws giving workers the right to organize or requiring owners to negotiate with them

– Courts frequently ruled against strikes– Union members suffered from the

perception that they were anti-American (Marxist)


• What were the 3 main goals of the AFL?– Try to convince companies to recognize

unions and agree to collective bargaining– Pushed for closed shops- meaning the

company could only hire union workers– Promoted and 8 hour workday

Download - Video: The Unfinished Nation: A New Corporate Order Describe the labor and working conditions during the rise of industrialization. –Wages too low, threats

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