The Role Of Industrialization In The Gilded Age

The Knights of Labor was a standard labor union comprised of individual workers across the nation. They were inclusive in terms, employing both skilled workers in crafts industries as well as unskilled laborers such as coalminers. (Rayback, 1966, p. 168). They had limited political objectives such as the eight-hour workday and the prohibition of child and convict labor. Their broader objectives were social: to improve the image and social status of the working man.

In The Gilded Age (1873), authors Mark Twain and Charles Warner suggested that the era’s slogan was, “Get rich, dishonestly if we can, honestly if we must.” This judgment on the time period has considerable merit and accuracy, I believe.

During the years 1865 to 1900, the gilded age transformed the world with a new wave of industrialization. Both farmers and industrial workers were affected by this industrialization, and had both positive and negative outcomes because of it. These new changes resulted in various conflicts as farmers and workers both wanted improvement in society. Although the gilded age brought new advancements with it, it was still a period of hardship for many people who lived during this time. While the government and those with money and power thrived during the gilded age, many others suffered.

The Gilded Age was characterized by rapid industrialization, reconstruction, ruthless pursuit of profit, government, corruption, and vulgarity (Cashman 1). After the Civil War, America was beginning to regroup as a nation. There were many other changes developing in the country. Industrialization was taking over the formerly agricultural country. The nation’s government was also in great conflict (Foner 20). Many changes occurred during the Gilded Age. These changes affected farmers, labor, business, and politics.

The Gilded Age was a very special time for our nation that took place from the 1870s to around 1900. During this time, economic growth was at a rapid increase, politics were corrupted yet had high turnouts, and urbanization flourished. Every aspect of the life of an American changed drastically throughout this time of the Gilded Age. The entire era was focused on the enormous changes that each aspect of America was going through. As this is brought to attention, if we are to look into the way that America is in our time of today, we can find that there are many similarities to that of the original Gilded Age. The United States of America have currently found themselves to be experiencing the second era of the Gilded Age throughout the areas of economic, politic and social transformation.

Between 1865 and 1900 was an era known as the Gilded Age. This era played a major role in the growth of industrialization and was a start of how business and politics started to affect each other. America started to change along with its economy as a whole, which started to transform and grow drastically. The Gilded Age was a time of growth and development for America and the two most major developments that had the biggest impact was the development of railroads and women's activism.

One factor during the Gilded Age that changed American business and labor practices was the abundance of supplies. The United States had all the raw materials it could ever ask for like: coal, oil, iron ore, copper, lead, and timber. Why was this important to the U.S? This kept the U.S. from having to purchase these things from foreign countries. The United States also had an abundance of labor supply between 1865 and 1900. This gave U.S. factories a steady supply of cheap labor, there was always more workers

We are living on the verge of the second part of the Gilded Age right now. The Gilded age is considered years 1870-1890. While the 21st century, today, is reliving the late 19th century. This age consisted of people seeking a new beginning and moving to the United States because they believed that America was the place to be for a new and better beginning. Many people would reference America's streets were "paved with gold,” little did they know the road they would have to travel to actually believe such a thing to be true. The United States has faced many different changes some for the greater good and some for the worse. The 21st century is repeating the Gilded age not only socially, but also culturally, economically, and politically.

The Knights of Labor were founded in December of 1869. This was all because American workers began to start national labor unions in order to negotiate with big corporations.The Knights were unique in allowing women, farmers, and others usually not associated with organized labor to become members. All "toilers" except doctors, lawyers, bankers, liquor dealers, and professional gamblers were eligible to enroll. The Knights also welcomed African Americans, although most blacks, were in segregated local assemblies. One African American, David Black, served on the Knights' state executive board.

Through what they wanted, they achieved and changed many aspects of life in the workforce. The Union Pacific Railroad cut wages and the workers wanted their original wages. “The executive board called for Knights to strike and trains were stopped and the cars uncoupled, engines were ‘killed,’ and widespread sabotage, in some cases leading to disorder and violence, spread throughout the Southwest”(Applby et al. 286). The Labor Union was successful here and the result was that the Union Pacific Railroad was forced to increase the wages to the original amount in order to run. This inspired many more people to join the Knights of Labor because they believe they could fight for what was right. They thought this, by seeing change committed and this is shown against Joseph R. Buchanan and his Union Pacific Railroad. People also started to want to join the Knights of Labor because they had a lot of money that was rumored and were affecting people in the railroads(Foner and Garraty). “Within a few years, the Knights of Labor expanded and allowed all workers to join. In 1878, they released this public statement about the goals of their society. No longer a secret society, the Knights of Labor grew into one of the largest labor unions in the United States. By 1886, the Knights of the Labor boasted 500,000 members”(Foner and Garrety). This helped the Knights of Labor by accepting all sorts

Knights of Labor is a national labor organization with a broad reform platform reached peak membership in the 1800s . In 1869 - Another labor group of national had emerged . The failure of the railroad striked in 1886 . Knights also declined because its leaders spent more time promoting national reforms than focusing on better wages . American Federation of labor is founded in 1886 of trade unions made up ofskilled workers . Differences between the knights of labor and the American federation of labor is that the knights of labor was more radical , in 1879 Terrence Powderly led the knights and Samuel led the afl

The Knights of Labor was started around the early 1870's. They were formed due to poor working conditions and unfair pay for hard work. The knight's accepted all workers whether they were skilled or unskilled. Strikes were key in order to have more of a effect on big business and cooperation's. The American Federation of Labor ,unlike the KOL, only accepted skilled workers. Lead by Samuel Gompers, the AFL believed in "keeping it simple". He didn't want any unskilled workers because he knew that AFl would be more stronger and political if they were excuded. But being simplistic and keeping the support from the government and public actually worked. The latter or "bread and butter" was more towards working conditions and pay rather than having

With the gilded age came social issues for example labor disputes. The workers felt like machines and

The National Labor Union would be one of the first such organizations that sprung up in order to represent skilled craft workers and defend their right against their employers. The National Labor Union had a philosophy which, by the standards of the 19th century, would be considered progressive and ahead of their time. They lobbied for a standardized 8 hour workday and equal opportunity employment rights for minorities and women. The next major organization to step up and represent the interest of employees was the Knights of Labor. The Knights of Labor had a philosophy of accepting skilled and unskilled workers alike, calling it and one big union approach. Their beliefs included many ideas that involved social reform, like putting a stop to the so called wage system. The Knights of Labor though did not however approve of using striking by its members as a tactic to pressure employees to except their contract demands.

The Knights of Labor was once a secret society of tailors that allowed fair job opportunities to come available to those who were seeking jobs.(“Knights of Labor” history.com) Strikes began to happen because unions were unhappy about their working conditions and their wages. The Knights came into play to stop the unions from striking, to achieve this they gave them fair wages and fair working conditions. In 1879 Terence Vincent Powderly took office and the Knights flourished under his leadership. More than seven hundred thousand members had joined the Knights after Powderly became leader. The Knights were known for allowing different sexes and races to work. “On the other hand, the Knights strongly supported the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Contract Labor Law of 1885; like many labor leaders at the time, Powderly believed these laws were needed to protect the American work force against competition from underpaid laborers imported by unscrupulous