Jul 31, 2018 the strike began in martinsburg, west virginia, on july 16, 1877, after workers of the baltimore and ohio railroad were informed that their pay would be cut 10 percent. America came closer to social revolution than at any other time in its century of nationhood. Question 1 asks students to evaluate whether the excerpt provides enough evidence to draw conclusions about the broader railroad strike. The first major issue occurred in may 1877 when the pennsylvania railroad imposed a second 10% wage cut in two years. Albee captured an extraordinary series of photographs. For one week in late july of 1877, america shook with anger and fear as a variety of urban residents, mostly working class, attacked railroad property in dozens of towns and cities.
Albee and the great railroad strike in pittsburgh, july 2122, 1877. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 historical studies of urban america. The great strike of 1877 january 21, 2011 paul damato looks at the 1877 railroad strike, which burst into the first national strike wave in the u. See the article in its original context from july 21, 1877, page 4 buy reprints. The great strikes of 1877 working class in american history. The latter part of the 1800s would see the rise of unions and more strikes. Bendann, depicts the 6th maryland regiment fighting its way through baltimore en route to suppress the rail workers strike. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 david o. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 historical. Stowell examines americas predicament more broadly to uncover the roots of this rebellion. Subject headings infantryillinoisblue island18901900. The strike of 1877 was most violent labormanagement confrontation to that point in american history. Camden station and the great railroad strike of 1877 explore baltimore heritage.
The strike spread to pennsylvania, maryland, new york, illinois and missouri. Great railroad strike of 1877, series of violent rail strikes across the united states in 1877. The purpose of this site is for me to explain what the great railroad strike of 1877 was about and how the civilization brought this among themselves. That year the country was in the fourth year of a prolonged economic depression after the panic of 1873. They turned deadly, with as many as 100 people killed in clashes. Instructional materials for teachers and students of labor history in new york and the united states of america. Workers grumbled about the loss of income in small groups, and by the end of the day railroad firemen began walking off the job. Great railroad strike of 1877 flashcards and study sets. After a month of strikes, president hayes sent troops to stop the rioting. One component of that system was the philadelphia and reading railroad, commanded by the legendary franklin b. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 historical studies of. Railway work was already poorly paid and dangerous. The first major strike in the united states history was the great railroad strike of 1877.
Song long black train walmart soundcheck sessions artist josh turner. Few rioters were arrested or prosecuted and the railroads annual report for 1877 cited the extent of damage and noted prrs intent. Jan 17, 2012 serious strike firemen on freight trains leave their posts and bulldoze their wouldbe successors the authorities of the town powerless, and freight traffic checked. Railroads were trying to make up for the financial losses by cutting wages, which. The strikers refused to let the trains run until the most recent pay cut was returned to. Even though the leaders stood up to the unions, the labor movement continued to grow. For other books in the historical studies of urban america series, see madelon powers faces along the bar, john mcgreevys parish boundaries, gail. The great railroad strike of 1877 one significant change that has occurred in the world between 1900 and 2005.
Annotated bibliography great railroad strike of 1877. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 by david. The great railroad strike of 1877 began on july 17, 1877, in martinsburg, west virginia. Stowell examines americas predicament m ore broadly to uncover the roots of this rebellion. Louis strikers have been standing there for over a week and still not backing down. Introduction the strike of 1877, also known as the great strike took place on railroads across the nation. I am a 20 year old college student at uconn avery point making this website for my history class. The great railroad strike of 1877 was the angry response of railroad workers to wage reductions, job cuts, and the profiteering by the huge railroad corporations that had risen to dominance after the civil war. At the onset of the first world war railroads employed a significant number of americans but were marred with bitter labor disputes.
All due to this, its known that in 1877, that their was 456 employees listed for blacklisting and only 5. Louis, non railroad workers also abandoned city businesses, creating one of the nations first general strikes. Then federal troops went from city to city, putting down strike after strike until after a few weeks the great railroad strike of 1877 was over. It set the scene for other important events including the 1886 haymarket square bombing in chicago, the 1892 homestead steel strike near pittsburgh and the 1894 pullman strike. These materials, which use newspaper accounts from the albany argus 1877 and the buffalo morning express 1892, were originally developed and prepared by the friends of the new york newspaper project in 2001.
Initiated as a more or less spontaneous railway workers strike, it became generalized into a nationwide crescendo of street protests and pitched battles. Impact on future labor the great railroad strike of 1877. The railroads were the advance agents of industrialism, opening a national market for the first time and themselves providing a market for iron, steel, coal, and the. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 by david o. Beginning with opposition to wage cuts and poor conditions the strikes led to nearinsurrections in parts of pennsylvania. Louis, nonrailroad workers also abandoned city businesses, creating one of the nations first general strikes. The strikes and the violence it spawned briefly paralyzed the countrys commerce and led governors in ten states to mobilize 60,000 militia members to reopen rail traffic.
The railroad strike of 1877 in reading berks history center. Read the great railroad strike of 1877 essay sample for. Harpers weekly contained many topics of interest for its readers including national and international news, informative essays, short stories of fiction and even humorous anecdotes. Picturing burnt machinery and twisted debris, albee documented the local aftermath of what scholars consider the first national labor action in the united states the great railroad strike of 1877. Each of the strikes were quelled by federal troops, the riots had lasted for about 1 month. The great railroad strike of 1877 new york state library. The great railroad strike, 1894 summary photograph shows special patrolling train rock island railroad, with company c, 15th u. Jan 21, 2011 the great strike of 1877 january 21, 2011 paul damato looks at the 1877 railroad strike, which burst into the first national strike wave in the u.
Americas year of living violently by michael bellesiles. It was the starting signal for an era of strife between workers and owners. The strikers refused to let the trains run until the most recent pay cut was returned to the employees. Licensed to youtube by umg on behalf of mca nashville.
Great railroad strike of 1877 flashcards and study sets quizlet. In this assessment, students evaluate an excerpt of an 1877 newspaper article about railroad strikes in columbus, ohio. More than 00 workers participated in the strikes, at the. Because of economic problems and pressure on wages. The great railroad strike of 1877 came at a time when the country was in the grips of an economic depression. Choose from 16 different sets of great railroad strike of 1877 flashcards on quizlet.
In towns throughout citys there were battles, arrests, injuries and deaths. Like morale after fredericksburg, this assessment asks students to source and corroborate a document. In 1877 an explosion of workingclass protest rocked the united states. Filippelli in the hot, midjuly of 1877, with the nation prostrate in the fourth year of a deep depression. The great strike of 1877 was one of the largest and most violent urban uprisin gs in american history. Harpers weekly, an american magazine, published in new york city from january 3, 1857 until may, 1916. Whereas most historians treat the event solely as a massive lab or strike that targeted the railroads, david o. Download pdf the great railroad revolution the history. Whereas most historians treat the event solely as a massive labor strike that targeted the for one week in late july of 1877, america shook with anger and fear as a variety of urban residents, mostly working class, attacked railroad property in. The great railroad strike of 1877 was the countrys first major rail strike and witnessed the first general strike in the nations history.
Mobilizing hundreds of thousands of workers, the great strikes of 1877 transformed the nation. Great railroad strike of 1877 july 14, 1877 old guard history. Also, one result was the increasing of the public awareness of railroad workers. In the previous quarter of a century, the nation, spurred. The great railroad strike, 1877 howard zinn howard zinns short history of the biggest industrial dispute in american history by that time, shutting down half the countrys rail network. Great railroad strike of 1877 ohio history central.
This strike finally ended some 69 days later, after it was put down by unofficial militias, the national guard, and federal troops. Courtesy of the rare book and manuscript library, university of. The material is designed for teachers and students of new york state and american history, particularly teachers of middle school students in grade 8 and high school. The great railroad strike, 1894 library of congress. The strikes of 1877 sep 09, 2006 the great railroad strike, 1877 howard zinn howard zinns short history of the biggest industrial dispute in american history by that time, shutting down half the countrys rail network. Learn great railroad strike of 1877 with free interactive flashcards. A spectacular example of collective violence, the great strikes of 1877 was the first national strike and the first major strikes against the railroad industry. The great railroad strike of 1877 moves on to the pennsylvania railroad. July, 1877 a large number of railroad workers went on strike because of wage cuts. Workers grumbled about the loss of income in small groups, and by the end. Annotated bibliography the great railroad strike of 1877.
The strike was the result of continued wage cuts of the laborers such as engineers and trainmen, while many of the companies continued to pay out dividends to its stockholders. July 14, 1877 july 17, 1877 july 18, 1877 july 20, 1877 the workers of the martinsburg workers for the baltimore the workers blockaded federal troops sent railroad went on strike because, and ohio railroad went on the railroads by tipping by the president arrived. The great railroad strike of 1877 essay united states railroad track total cover increased steadily and was at its peak at the end of the civil war. The strike began in martinsburg, west virginia, on july 16, 1877, after workers of the baltimore and ohio railroad were informed that their pay would be cut 10 percent. The great strike of 1877 was one of the largest and most violent urban uprisings in american history. Timeline of the great railroad strike the great railroad. Beginning with opposition to wage cuts and poor conditions the. Whereas most historians treat the event solely as a massive labor strike that targeted the railroads, david o. The strike of 1877, also known as the great strike took place on railroads across the nation. Survey of the great railroad strike of 1877, a series of violent rail strikes across the united states. The railroad strike of 1877 in reading by ronald l. Explain the impact this change has made on our lives and why it is an important change. This instructional packet uses newspaper articles from the nineteenth century to create a case study of a significant event in american labor history, the railroad strike of 1877, frequently referred to as the great strike.
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