Labor Movement

In general, how did the U.S. government respond to major labor strikes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

• By sending in federal troops or state militias to restore order
• By negotiating directly with the workers
• By passing laws to immediately improve working conditions
• By supporting the union demands

What was a common cause of labor strikes during the late 19th century?

• Wage cuts and poor working conditions
• Desire for shorter working hours
• Disagreements over union leadership
• Refusal to work in new industries

How did companies often react to labor strikes in the 19th and early 20th centuries?

• Hired private security or strikebreakers
• Immediately agreed to the workers' demands
• Allowed the strikes to continue without intervention
• Closed their operations permanently

What role did unions play in strikes during this period?

• Organized workers and led strikes
• Prevented strikes from happening
• Supported company policies
• Acted as mediators between companies and workers

What was a common outcome for workers involved in strikes during this period?

• Many workers faced retaliation, such as blacklisting
• Workers often received large pay increases
• Workers typically gained long-term job security
• Strikes usually led to immediate improvement of conditions

What was a typical company response to striking workers?

• Locking out workers or refusing to negotiate
• Offering higher wages and better conditions immediately
• Closing down operations and moving to another location
• Filing lawsuits against the union leaders

How did public opinion generally react to violent strikes?

• Divided, with some supporting workers and others supporting the government
• Largely supportive of company actions
• Indifferent to the conflicts
• Overwhelmingly against the strikers

Why did many strikes turn violent during this period?

• Both sides were unwilling to compromise
• Workers preferred violent tactics
• Companies never called for any law enforcement intervention
• Federal government encouraged violent suppression

What was a common reason for the failure of many strikes during this period?

• Lack of financial resources and government intervention
• Strong, unified worker movements
• Widespread public support for the strikers
• Rapid concessions from companies

What was a significant long-term effect of these strikes on the labor movement?

• They highlighted the need for organized labor and legal protections
• They led to the immediate downfall of unions
• They ended the concept of striking for better conditions
• They caused a permanent rift between all workers and unions