Chapter 20: Big Business And Labor

Front 1

Second Industrial Revolution

Back 1

A boost in the US economy, created by an advanced communication system, electric power, and the application of scientific research to improve industrial processes. Marked the emergence of the US as a super economy and brought forth a new era of a thriving and advancing society.

Front 2

Jay Gould

Back 2

A railroad robber baron that abused the railroad industry to gain personal profit. Him and many others corrupted the business, amassing an enormous personal fortune, but still the industry persisted, a huge contributor to the Industrial Revolution.

Front 3

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Back 3

A successful railroad baron that connected New York and Chicago, leaving a legacy to his son who continued building. His work greatly facilitated trade and industry, and came out on top of all other railroads in the area.

Front 4

John D. Rockefeller

Back 4

A well organized and strict entrepreneur, he brought order to the oil industry by creating the Standard Oil Company of Ohio. He bought out his competition and dominated the industry, creating a vertically integrated, self-sufficient big business. His story demonstrates the susceptibility of the capitalist economy on monopolies.

Front 5

Standard Oil Company of Ohio

Back 5

A largely independent oil company established by John D Rockefeller. The company dominated the industry, becoming vertically integrated and creating the Standard Oil Trust to manage its affairs.

Front 6

Andrew Carnegie

Back 6

A Scottish immigrant that started a small job at 13 and over time worked his way up into various big industries. He created a huge steel empire and devoted his life to the philanthropy after his retirement.

Front 7

J. Pierpont Morgan

Back 7

An investment banker, born to wealth, that found his fortune investing in companies in New York. He held a powerful place in the economy with great influence and profit in both steel and iron companies.

Front 8

Molly Maguires

Back 8

A group formed of Irish laborers due to horrendous working conditions. They terrorize Pennsylvania coal fields through intimidation tactics but were found out and 24 were convicted, ten hung.

Front 9

Great Railroad Strike of 1877

Back 9

After panic and depression in 1873, railroad workers often walked off the tracks and blocked them. The disorganization often caused groups to damage company property, leading to federal troops quelling the violence. The event demonstrated the potential for labor unions to form and change the industry.

Front 10

Knights of Labor

Back 10

A labor union of national standing that wanted to establish hours, wages, and other standards for employers. They organized strikes and boycotts to put pressure on employers and welcomed members regardless of race, creed, or sex.

Front 11

Haymarket Affair

Back 11

A protest in Chicago led by an artist speaking out against how a striker was killed in an altercation with police. The gathering ended badly when police called for them to disperse, a bomb was thrown at the police who subsequently fired into the crowd. As a Knights of Labor member was at the event, the group became associated with the anarchists and could not restore their reputation, thus dispersing.

Front 12

Samuel Gompers

Back 12

President of the American Federation of Labor, an immigrant and supporter of better labor conditions. He called for higher wages, shorter hours, and better working conditions and used strikes to achieve his goals.

Front 13

American Federation of Labor

Back 13

A craft union that sought to better working conditions without compromising their craft's identity. Compared to other organization, AFL have the greatest success in organizing skilled labor.

Front 14

Homestead Strike

Back 14

A standoff between the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and Henry Clay Frick, president of Andrew Carnegie's Homestead Works. Ended in the battle between strikers and Pinkerton detectives, the business was victorious and marked a break in the labor union movements morale.

Front 15

Eugene V. Debs

Back 15

Founder of the American Railway Union and instigator of the Pullman Strike. Although he pled for quarterly boycotts / strikes, his attempts at peaceful negotiations failed and resulted in violent protests.

Front 16

Pullman Strike

Back 16

A strike by the American Railway Union against the Pullman Palace Car Company. It turned violent when conditions weren't met, eventually bringing in government officials and convicting Debs for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Front 17

Mother Jones

Back 17

A female labor agitator that excited crowds and gained media attention. She fearlessly spoke out for higher wages, shorter hours, safer work places, and restrictions on child labor. She was a specially adamant about child labor restrictions, being convicted numerous times for her cause.

Front 18

Social Democratic Party

Back 18

A political party organized by Eugene Debs that seem to gain a lot of support in the 1900s. It eventually broke over disputes on America's participation in World War I.

Front 19

Industrial Workers of the World

Back 19

An effort to revive industrial unionism and stood against craft unionism (skilled labor). They called for one big Union but was eventually broken over sectarian disputes.

Front 20

'Big Bill' Haywood

Back 20

Remained to hold the IWW together after all the major founders withdrew. He was a socialist that abhorred the AFL but fled the country after numerous failed strikes.