Theu.s. Labor Struggles During The Gilded Age - 1649 Words

U.S. LABOUR STRUGGLES IN THE GILDED AGE Introduction In the United States history, the Gilded Age was the period in the late 19th century where the country experienced rapid economic growth. During this period, the U.S. became one of the leading industrial nations. It was able to build a powerful navy that dominated the world and acquired the enormous overseas empire. The Gilded Age was also a very important time in the labour history of the United States. It was a period of horrible labour violence between industrialists and workers who fought over various labour issues such as wages and control of the workplace. At this time, workers organised themselves to form the first and largest labour union of the time – the American Labour Union. Even after the workers formed this union, the employers were determined to end the union hence causing a lot of conflicts. One of the highlights of the labour struggles in the Gilded Age was the Pullman strike of 1893. This strike had dire consequences for both the workers and the employers. Ma ny were killed, others injured and the leaders of the union imprisoned for contempt of court. This paper shall look into some of the reasons why the workers found it difficult to achieve economic and political power and how their activism was limited. Ultimately, the strict control by capitalists and government limited the workers ability to fight successfully for better terms of employment. Consequences of the Pullman Strike The industrialists inShow MoreRelatedTheu.s. Labor Struggles During The Gilded Age1654 Words   |  7 Pages U.S. LABOUR STRUGGLES IN THE GILDED AGE Student`s name Course number Date Introduction In the United States history, the Gilded Age was the period in the late 19th century where the country experienced rapid economic growth. During this period, the U.S. became one of the leading industrial nations. It was able to build a powerful navy that dominated the world and acquired the enormous overseas empire. The Gilded Age was also a very important time in the labour history of the United States