pacific railway act of 1862 u.s. government hired union pacific and central pacific railway company...
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Pacific Railway Act of 1862 U.S. Government hired Union Pacific and Central
Pacific Railway Company to extend railways across the United States.
Central Pacific Started in Sacramento, CA
Union Pacific Started in Omaha, NE
The two railroad companies met in Promontory, Utah to drive the “Golden Spike” on May 10, 1869
Workers were mainly Chinese and Irish immigrants
Working conditions were poor Reasons:
Weather Rough terrain
Train problems: Dirty, noisy, uncomfortable
1869 George Westinghouse: Development of air brakes
1887 Granville Woods: Telegraph system for train communication
Scheduling was a major concern Set clocks according to solar time Time differences from town to town created
confusion.
1883: National System of Time Zones How many total time zones does the USA
have?
Name all 8 time zones.
Native Americans called it the Iron Horse
Helped Westward expansion Trade much easier Became crucial to the U.S. economy –
shipping costs dropped drastically. Hurt farmers economically Made deals with wealthy businessmen
Corruption
Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 – put in place for Govt to supervise railroad activities
Led to more financial problems (railroads were forced out of business, which led to the Panic of 1893)
This caused the Large Firms to start buying up the railways, which paved the way for Big Businesses
Unskilled and semi-skilled labor in abundance New, talented entrepreneurs Oil Inventions
New technology that allows mass production Bessemer Process
Railroads Changes in business strategy
Vertical Integration & Horizontal Consolidation Social Darwinism
Henry Bessemer English
businessman William Kelly
Kentucky businessman
Developed new way of making steel:Melt iron, add carbon,
remove impurities
Old way to Manhattan to Brooklyn was ferry Winter: ferry could not run because of ice
John Roebling German began building Dies in mid construction
Washington Roebling completes Son Disabled by accident during construction
Completed on May 24, 1883
Robber barons: business leaders who built fortune from stealing from the public.
Capitals of Industry: business leaders served their nation in a positive way.
Charles Darwin – survival of the fittest Social Darwin theory evolved: Society should do as little as possible to interfere
with peoples pursuit of success
AS A RESULT
Government did not TAX or REGULATE businesses!!!
How does the game work?
What is the goal of the game?
Monopoly to have complete
control of a product or service.
Cartel businesses who make
the same product – agree to limit supply to keep prices high.
Trust separate companies
placed under a single managing board – Board of trustees
Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie
$ Scottish businessmanScottish businessman$ ““Gospel of WealthGospel of Wealth” ”
(1901).(1901).$ Inequality is inevitable Inequality is inevitable
and good.and good.
$ Vertical ConsolidationVertical Consolidation$ Wealthy should act as Wealthy should act as
“trustees” for their “trustees” for their “poorer brethren.”“poorer brethren.”$ 80% of fortune went 80% of fortune went
to education.to education.$ At time of death, he At time of death, he
had given away – 350 had given away – 350 million.million.
$ Scottish businessmanScottish businessman$ ““Gospel of WealthGospel of Wealth” ”
(1901).(1901).$ Inequality is inevitable Inequality is inevitable
and good.and good.
$ Vertical ConsolidationVertical Consolidation$ Wealthy should act as Wealthy should act as
“trustees” for their “trustees” for their “poorer brethren.”“poorer brethren.”$ 80% of fortune went 80% of fortune went
to education.to education.$ At time of death, he At time of death, he
had given away – 350 had given away – 350 million.million.
John D. RockefellerJohn D. Rockefeller
$ Standard Oil Co.Standard Oil Co.$ Eventually owned Eventually owned
all oil companies in all oil companies in US.US.$ Horizontal Horizontal
consolidationconsolidation$ 40 companies40 companies
$ Standard Oil Co.Standard Oil Co.$ Eventually owned Eventually owned
all oil companies in all oil companies in US.US.$ Horizontal Horizontal
consolidationconsolidation$ 40 companies40 companies
Frederick W. TaylorThe Principles of Scientific Management (1911)
Frederick W. TaylorThe Principles of Scientific Management (1911)
The Assembly LineThe Assembly Line
Mass productionMass production
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The Changing American
Labor Force
The Changing American
Labor Force
Child LaborChild Labor
Child LaborChild Labor
Long hours Less than $1.00 per week Difficult, dangerous and unhealthy work
Heavy machinery Could lose finger, arm or be scalped by
machinery Dusty, cold/hot respiratory conditions
Corporal punishment
Management vs. Labor
Management vs. Labor
““Tools” of Tools” of ManagementManagement
““Tools” of Tools” of LaborLabor
““scabs”scabs”
lockoutlockout
blacklistingblacklisting
collective collective BargainingBargaining
informational informational picketingpicketing
organized organized strikesstrikes
A Striker Confronts a SCAB!
A Striker Confronts a SCAB!
Knights of LaborKnights of Labor
Terence V. PowderlyTerence V. Powderly
An injury to one is the concern of An injury to one is the concern of all!all!
Goals of the Knights of Labor
Goals of the Knights of Labor
ù Eight-hour workday.Eight-hour workday.
ù Abolition of child and prison labor.Abolition of child and prison labor.
ù Equal pay for men and women.Equal pay for men and women.
ù Safety codes in the workplace.Safety codes in the workplace.
Labor Unrest: 1870-1900
Labor Unrest: 1870-1900
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Haymarket Riot (1886)
Haymarket Riot (1886)
McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.McCormick Harvesting Machine Co.
Haymarket MartyrsHaymarket Martyrs
The American Federation
of Labor: 1886
The American Federation
of Labor: 1886
Samuel GompersSamuel Gompers
How the AF of L Would Help the
Workers
How the AF of L Would Help the
Workersù Catered to the skilled worker.Catered to the skilled worker.
ù Represented workers in matters of Represented workers in matters of national legislation.national legislation.
ù Maintained a national strike fund.Maintained a national strike fund.
ù Evangelized the cause of unionism.Evangelized the cause of unionism.
ù Prevented disputes among the many Prevented disputes among the many craft unions.craft unions.
ù Mediated disputes between Mediated disputes between management and labor.management and labor.
ù Pushed for Pushed for closed shopsclosed shops..
Homestead Steel Strike
(1892)
Homestead Steel Strike
(1892)
The Amalgamated The Amalgamated Association of Association of
Iron & Steel WorkersIron & Steel Workers
Homestead Steel Homestead Steel WorksWorks
A “CompanyTown”:
Pullman, IL
A “CompanyTown”:
Pullman, IL
Pullman CarsPullman Cars
A Pullman A Pullman porterporter
The Pullman Strike of 1894
The Pullman Strike of 1894
The Pullman Strike of 1894
The Pullman Strike of 1894
Government by injunction!Government by injunction!
The SocialistsThe Socialists
Eugene V. DebsEugene V. Debs
International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)
International Workers of the World (“Wobblies”)
“Big Bill” Haywood of the
IWW
“Big Bill” Haywood of the
IWW
Violence was justified to Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism.overthrow capitalism.
I W WI W W
Labor Union MembershipLabor Union Membership
What were the cost and benefits of the industrial transformation of the Post- Civil War era?
Was the growing class division of the time a threat to American democracy? Why or why not?