Labor Unions and Their Impact

The video discusses the exploitation of labor during the Gilded Age, highlighting poor working conditions, low wages, and child labor. It explains the formation of labor unions like the National Labor Union, Knights of Labor, AFL, and IWW, which aimed to improve wages and conditions. The unions employed strategies like collective bargaining and strikes, leading to significant events such as the Great Strike of 1877, Haymarket Affair, and Pullman Strike. Labor unions ultimately influenced business practices and became a political force, advocating for workers' rights and contributing to the establishment of Labor Day.

What was a significant consequence of the rise of big business during the Gilded Age?

• Improved working conditions

• Increased wages for all workers

• Exploitation of labor

• Shorter working hours

Which labor union was among the first to form in the United States and demanded an 8-hour workday?

• National Labor Union

• American Federation of Labor

• Knights of Labor

• Industrial Workers of the World

What was the primary focus of the Knights of Labor?

• Supporting capitalist practices

• Promoting child labor

• Equal pay for women

• Organizing skilled labor

Who founded the Industrial Workers of the World and advocated for a socialist revolution?

• George Pullman

• Andrew Carnegie

• Eugene V. Debs

• Samuel Gompers

What strategy involves unions negotiating deals with their bosses as a group?

• Striking

• Collective bargaining

• Lobbying

• Boycotting

Which event involved a labor protest that turned into a riot after a bomb was thrown at police?

• Pullman Strike

• Boston Tea Party

• Great Strike of 1877

• Haymarket Affair

What term describes workers hired to replace those on strike?

• Craftsmen

• Apprentices

• Unionists

• Scabs

How did labor unions impact business practices during the Gilded Age?

• They forced businesses to consider workers' conditions

• They reduced the number of working days

• They increased profits for businesses

• They eliminated the need for skilled labor

What political power did labor unions gain in America?

• They controlled the economy

• They abolished taxes

• They influenced political campaigns

• They could pass laws directly

Why do we celebrate Labor Day in the United States?

• To commemorate the end of the Gilded Age

• To honor the contributions of the labor movement

• To celebrate the founding of the United States

• To mark the beginning of summer