Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 by david. The strike of 1877 was most violent labormanagement confrontation to that point in american history. Great railroad strike of 1877 ohio history central. Annotated bibliography the great railroad strike of 1877. The great railroad strike of 1877 began on july 17, 1877, in martinsburg, west virginia.
Few rioters were arrested or prosecuted and the railroads annual report for 1877 cited the extent of damage and noted prrs intent. The great railroad strike of 1877 new york state library. In this assessment, students evaluate an excerpt of an 1877 newspaper article about railroad strikes in columbus, ohio. The first major issue occurred in may 1877 when the pennsylvania railroad imposed a second 10% wage cut in two years. 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. 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. 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. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 historical studies of. 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. In 1877 an explosion of workingclass protest rocked the united states.
Impact on future labor the great railroad strike of 1877. For other books in the historical studies of urban america series, see madelon powers faces along the bar, john mcgreevys parish boundaries, gail. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 historical. The great strikes of 1877 working class in american history. 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. Railway work was already poorly paid and dangerous. Introduction the strike of 1877, also known as the great strike took place on railroads across the nation. The strike spread to pennsylvania, maryland, new york, illinois and missouri. This violent strike shortly paralyzed americas commerce leading to the mobilization of militia by ten state governors to reopen the rail road traffic. In the previous quarter of a century, the nation, spurred. The railroad strike of 1877 in reading berks history center. 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. 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. Choose from 16 different sets of great railroad strike of 1877 flashcards on quizlet.
Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 historical studies of urban america. I am a 20 year old college student at uconn avery point making this website for my history class. Read the great railroad strike of 1877 essay sample for. 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. 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. Learn great railroad strike of 1877 with free interactive flashcards. Beginning with opposition to wage cuts and poor conditions the strikes led to nearinsurrections in parts of pennsylvania.
Great railroad strike of 1877, series of violent rail strikes across the united states in 1877. Camden station and the great railroad strike of 1877 explore baltimore heritage. It was the starting signal for an era of strife between workers and owners. They turned deadly, with as many as 100 people killed in clashes.
Great railroad strike of 1877 flashcards and study sets. Initiated as a more or less spontaneous railway workers strike, it became generalized into a nationwide crescendo of street protests and pitched battles. The railroad strike of 1877 in reading by ronald l. The great railroad strike, 1894 library of congress. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 david o. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877 by david o. Railroads were trying to make up for the financial losses by cutting wages, which. Song long black train walmart soundcheck sessions artist josh turner.
The great railroad strike of 1877 one significant change that has occurred in the world between 1900 and 2005. All due to this, its known that in 1877, that their was 456 employees listed for blacklisting and only 5. The strikers refused to let the trains run until the most recent pay cut was returned to the employees. 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. Beginning with opposition to wage cuts and poor conditions the. The first major strike in the united states history was the great railroad strike of 1877. 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 great railroad strike, 1894 summary photograph shows special patrolling train rock island railroad, with company c, 15th u. Whereas most historians treat the event solely as a massive labor strike that targeted the railroads, david o. Because of economic problems and pressure on wages. The strike of 1877, also known as the great strike took place on railroads across the nation. 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. Albee and the great railroad strike in pittsburgh, july 2122, 1877. More than 00 workers participated in the strikes, at the.
See the article in its original context from july 21, 1877, page 4 buy reprints. The latter part of the 1800s would see the rise of unions and more strikes. 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. 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. Workers grumbled about the loss of income in small groups, and by the end. Stowell examines americas predicament more broadly to uncover the roots of this rebellion. 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. 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. Mobilizing hundreds of thousands of workers, the great strikes of 1877 transformed the nation. 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. Explain the impact this change has made on our lives and why it is an important change.
The strikers refused to let the trains run until the most recent pay cut was returned to. Annotated bibliography great railroad strike of 1877. Also, one result was the increasing of the public awareness of railroad workers. Sometime after july 22, 1877, pittsburgh photographer s. 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.
Harpers weekly, an american magazine, published in new york city from january 3, 1857 until may, 1916. The great strike of 1877 was one of the largest and most violent urban uprisin gs in american history. Licensed to youtube by umg on behalf of mca nashville. 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. Albee captured an extraordinary series of photographs. After a month of strikes, president hayes sent troops to stop the rioting. Stowell examines americas predicament m ore broadly to uncover the roots of this rebellion. 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. America came closer to social revolution than at any other time in its century of nationhood. July, 1877 a large number of railroad workers went on strike because of wage cuts.
That year the country was in the fourth year of a prolonged economic depression after the panic of 1873. Subject headings infantryillinoisblue island18901900. 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. Download pdf the great railroad revolution the history.
Bendann, depicts the 6th maryland regiment fighting its way through baltimore en route to suppress the rail workers strike. Question 1 asks students to evaluate whether the excerpt provides enough evidence to draw conclusions about the broader railroad strike. 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. The worst railroad violence was in pittsburgh, with over 40 people killed by militia men. 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. One component of that system was the philadelphia and reading railroad, commanded by the legendary franklin b. Louis, nonrailroad workers also abandoned city businesses, creating one of the nations first general strikes. Each of the strikes were quelled by federal troops, the riots had lasted for about 1 month. Americas year of living violently by michael bellesiles. At the onset of the first world war railroads employed a significant number of americans but were marred with bitter labor disputes. The great railroad strike of 1877 moves on to the pennsylvania railroad. Great railroad strike of 1877 july 14, 1877 old guard history. The great railroad strike of 1877 came at a time when the country was in the grips of an economic depression.
Louis strikers have been standing there for over a week and still not backing down. Instructional materials for teachers and students of labor history in new york and the united states of america. Great railroad strike of 1877 flashcards and study sets quizlet. Louis, non railroad workers also abandoned city businesses, creating one of the nations first general strikes.
Workers grumbled about the loss of income in small groups, and by the end of the day railroad firemen began walking off the job. Whereas most historians treat the event solely as a massive lab or strike that targeted the railroads, david o. Filippelli in the hot, midjuly of 1877, with the nation prostrate in the fourth year of a deep depression. In towns throughout citys there were battles, arrests, injuries and deaths. Even though the leaders stood up to the unions, the labor movement continued to grow. Survey of the great railroad strike of 1877, a series of violent rail strikes across the united states. Like morale after fredericksburg, this assessment asks students to source and corroborate a document. The great strike of 1877 was one of the largest and most violent urban uprisings in american history. 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. Timeline of the great railroad strike the great railroad. This strike finally ended some 69 days later, after it was put down by unofficial militias, the national guard, and federal troops. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover. The great railroad strike of 1877 was the countrys first major rail strike and witnessed the first general strike in the nations history.
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