Labor Timeline

By lukeh32

  • Improvement of the Steam Engine by James Watt

    The "creator" of the Industrial Revolution and all inventions and innovation because of it, the Steam Engine supplied the needed power that factories required to operate. Although it had many great effects, the consumption of fossil fuels began.

  • Split of Traditional Artisan Class

    The Traditional Artisan Class split because of improvements made in the Industrial Revolution. Members of the class either became a wage worker within a factory or became a self employed craftsman.

  • Self-made-man

    The Self made Man was someone who achieved the American Dream, coming from rags to riches. Individuals included business entrepreneurs like John D. Rockefeller, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and Abraham Lincoln.

  • Industrial Revolution

    The Industrial Revolution, originating in Britain and carried to the United States, marked a major turning point in the American economy as goods could now easily mass produced and created faster. With no major corporations yet, many worked in small companies with no protective legislation.

  • Division Of Labor

    Ushering in a new system of manufacturing, the idea of Division of Labor would separate duties among workers. This made manufacturing goods more efficient. This however allowed the workers no sense of accomplishment and reduced workplace morale.

  • Mechanics

    With the rise of the Industrial Revolution, skilled laborers were needed in order to operate machinery that lower paid workers operated. These mechanics were paid higher and attended apprenticeships or school to learn their trade.

  • Artisan Republicanism

    Artisan republicanism was an ideology that praised the small shop owners who worked with their family and trained their own. It also outlined the ideal republican society that was dedicated to the welfare of independent workers and citizens.

  • Samuel Slater

    A mechanic who moved to America in 1791, Slater became known as the "Father of the Factory System." He earned this title by first instituting the use of child labor within his factories.

  • Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin (1765-1825)

    Eli Whitney was one of the first inventors and created the Cotton Gin in 1793. The gin facilitated the separation of cotton from the seeds. This however ultimately lead to the mass spread of slavery as cotton was now able to be produced faster.

  • Farming Innovations Around the Turn of the 18th Century

    Inventions including the grain reaper, Cast-Iron Plow, and Interchangeable Parts revolutionized the farming industry. Farmers could now hire less hands and instead use the innovation to facilitate farming, saving them money.

  • Cyrus McCormick

    Innovating on the idea of scythes, Cyrus McCormick developed the Grain Reaper. The invention made farming vastly more efficient and lead to the growth of the American agricultural economy.

  • Samuel Colt

    Pioneering one of the best firearms in history (the Colt .45), Samuel Colt created one of the first gun making factories. His inventions, including the revolver, lead a precedence in the gun making industry.

  • Market Revolution

    The Market Revolution started in the South but spread to the North. The revolution grew the Northern economy greatly as results from the Transportation Revolution and Industrial Revolution left traditional economic processes out of date.

  • Waltham-Lowell System

    The Waltham-Lowell System used farm girls from rural areas as cheap labor. These factories tended to use a large amount of machinery. The women would work under strict curfews, mandatory church attendance, and were not permitted to drink alcohol.

  • Canal Boom

    The Canal Boom, beginning with the construction of the Erie Canal in 1825, lasted to the 1830's. Primarily instigated by the creation of steamboats, the canal boom became an integral part of the Transportation Revolution.

  • Sellars Family

    The Seller's improved the efficiency of the water wheel as a family of inventors. They made a machine that twisted yarn and ran machine shops. In 1829, the family along with others founded the Franklin Institute.

  • Commonwealth v. Hunt

    A decision made by the Massachusetts Supreme Court, Commonwealth V Hunt decided that unions were constitutional and that striking was a legal means of protest. It also stated that unions were not responsible for the acts of its members.

  • Wilmot Proviso

    Although the Wilmot Proviso never passed, it did however change the debate over slavery because it suggested that states gained from the Mexican American War should be free. This caused tensions between the North and South that soon would boil over.

  • Free-Soil Party

    The Free-Soil Party, caused by the subsequent movement, was headed by northern anti-slavery men and democrats resentful to James K. Polk. Their main goal was to stop the spread of slavery to newly acquired territories. They were absorbed into the Republican Party.

  • Railroad Boom

    Occurring after The Civil War, the Railroad boom culminated the Transportation Revolution. Vastly improving transport time, the American consumer culture was shaped for the rest of history as goods became cheaper and could be acquired all over the country.

  • The Civil War

    At the heightened tension of slavery between the North and South, The Civil War sought to bring an end to the debate over slavery. At the end of the war, the North won and slavery was officially abolished.

  • 13th amendment

    With the success of the Civil War, the government was finally able to ratify an end to slavery. With the passage of the 13th Amendment, slavery officially came to an end.

  • National Labor Union formed

    The National Labor Union formed in 1866 as the first national labor federation in the U.S. After failing to create local labor unions, workers banded together to form the NLU. It sought to bring together all national labor unions in existence. Most of its support was drawn from skilled laborers, but unskilled laborers were welcome. The NLU favored arbitration over strikes and pushed for 8 hour work days. Congress passed a law for an 8 hour work day for government workers as a result.

  • National Grange

    The National Grange was the first national level farmers union. Their work culminated with the success of the passage of the Granger Laws and free rural mail delivery. The National Grange was the third and highest rung on the ladder of farmers unions.

  • WEB Dubois

    He created the talented tenth which designated a leadership class of African Americans. He pushed for blacks to have equal voting rights, an end to segregation, equal treatment in the justice system and equal opportunity. He also was against Booker T. Washington’s beliefs due to his lack of concern for equal social equality of blacks.

  • Knights of Labor

    The Knights of Labor was the largest labor organization of the 1880s; its most important leader was Terence Powderly. The K of L promoted rights of the working man, rejected socialism and anarchism and promoted the 8 hour work day. All laborers were allowed to take part in the K of L. They also called for an end to child and convict labor. They went on strike as a last resort, and preferred arbitration instead. After the Haymarket Square Bombing in 1893, they lost support of the American people.

  • Share cropping

    Sharecropping came about after the institution of slavery was abolished. As planters needed workers, freedmen would work on the plantations for no pay, just a share of the crops at the end of the harvest, proving to be a risky endeavour.

  • Trust

    A trust occurred when companies assigned their stocks to their board. This made the leaders of the company very wealthy but however caused monopolies to occur. These monopolies regularly indulged in aggressive actions toward other companies and unfair practices.

  • Farmers Alliance

    The Farmers Alliance was an organization designed to assist farmers in receiving more farm credits while regulating railroads. The Alliance eventually led to the creation of the Populist Party over time.

  • Great Railroad strike of 1877

    Starting as a protest against railroad monopolies for cutting wages and having unfair practices, the protestors turned violent and pushed railcars over. Federal troops were sent in as the riot disrupted the mail service and the face of unions began to fall again within the public eye.

  • Haymarket Square

    The Haymarket Square Riot was was a protest where anarchists threw a bomb killing police officers and citizens. The riot danged the reputation of unions and all but destroyed the Knights of Labor.

  • Samuel Gompers creates American Federation Of Labor

    A Labor Union made only of skilled workers, founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886. They fought to gain collective bargaining powers for members so they could fight for better wages, working conditions, and hours.

  • Jacob Riis

    Riis was a muckraker in the early 1890s who exposed the horrible living conditions of the poor in New York City. Through his novel “How the Other Half Lives”, written in 1890, Riis effectively spread his findings, which shocked the public. Riis was also famous for his photography in this region, allowing the public to see a visual representation of the lower class struggles.

  • Homestead Strike

    The Homestead Strike was an extremely violent protest against the Homestead Steel Works, retaliating wage cuts. The Revolt damaged the image of unions and was ultimately put down by the Pinkerton boys and state militia.

  • Sherman Anti-Trust Act

    Passed under Benjamin Harrison, the Sherman Antitrust Act prohibited the formation of trusts in any form and any other action that threatened commerce.

  • National Association of Manufacturers

    An association of industrialists and business leaders opposed to government regulation. In the era of the New Deal, the group promoted free enterprise and capitalism through a publicity campaign of radio programs, motion pictures, billboards, and direct mail.

  • Progressivism

    Progressivism was a new political ideology that sought reforms in all levels of society. The party’s main goals were to end corruption, vices, and bring about prohibition. The idea held such an influence that a party was formed in 1912 and only lasted 4 years.

  • Anthracite Coal Strike

    The Anthracite Coal strike occurred during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and saw a federal change in the way unions and strikes were handled. When the United Mine Workers of America union were refused negotiation, Roosevelt threatened to take over the plant it they were not negotiated with.

  • Women's Trade Union League

    Female only union that accepted both working class females as well as higher class women. Their goals were to increase the conditions faced in sweatshops and they sought to promote the role of women in society.

  • Industrial Workers of the World

    Founded by William “Big Bill” Haywood, the IWW were also called Wobblies and supported the Marxist class struggle. They believed that by resisting in the workplace and launching a strike, workers could overthrow capitalism. The IWW sparked railcar builder, textile operatives, and rubber workers strikes.

  • Muller v. Oregon

    Louis D Brandeis fights for the constitutionality of protecting women workers by attempting to prove the harmful effects of factory labor on women’s weaker bodies. Justified sex discrimination in the workforce.

  • Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

    New York City Fire that killed 146 people and led to legislation improving factory safety standards and helped develop the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

  • Henry Ford Assembly line

    Henry Ford’s assembly line revolutionized the way the modern manufacturer worked. By increasing the efficiency greatly, Ford was able to lower the prices of automobiles changing American consumer culture and also caused workers to feel menial and morale fell.

  • Clayton Anti-Trust Act

    The Clayton Antitrust act acted to strengthen the Sherman Antitrust Act. In addition, it exempted labor unions from being labeled a trust and further legitimized labor strikes and picketing.

  • Workingmen's Compensation Act of 1916

    Granted assistance of federal civil service employees during periods of instability but was invalidated by the Supreme Court.

  • WW1

    Women began to gain more jobs and more working rights as men went to war.

  • National War Labor Board

    A federal agency founded in 1918 that established an eight hour work day for war workers (with time-and-a-half pay for overtime), endorsed equal pay for women, and supported workers’ rights to organize.

  • Public Works Administration

    Part of FDR’s New Deal plan. Construction program designed to put people back to work. Built the Boulder Dam (renamed Hoover Dam) and Grand Coulee Dam, among other large public works projects.

  • Civilian Conservation Corps

    Federal relief program that provided jobs to millions of unemployed young men who built thousands of bridges, roads, trails, and other structures in state and national parks, bolstering the national infrastructure.

  • Tennessee Valley Administration

    An agency funded by Congress in 1933 that integrated flood control, reforestation, electricity generation, and agricultural and industrial development in the Tennessee Valley area.

  • Civil Works Administration

    The Civil Works Administration (CWA) started with the goal of providing a short-term solution to get people back to work. The projects under CWA were made for unskilled laborers. Was originally a part of FERA.

  • The Wagner Act

    It defined unjust labor practices, secured workers the right to bargain collectively, and established the National Labor Relations Board. It also granted workers the right to form and join unions. It endorsed the principles of exclusive representation and majority rule.

  • National Labor Relations Board

    The NLRB suspended the NIRA and established a brand new, long-lasting federal labor policy with the implementation of the National Labor Relations Act. Was the organization that passed the Wagner Act in 1935 as well. Worked to guarantee workers the right to bargain collectively.

  • Congress Of Industrial Organization

    A federation of unions that organized workers into industrial unions. It was formed by John L. Lewis in 1935. It supported FDR’s New Deal and welcomed African Americans. It was rivals with the AFL. One union in the CIO was the United Mine Workers.

  • Bracero Program

    To meet wartime labor demands, the U.S. government brought tens of thousands of Mexican contract laborers into the U.S. The workers were paid little and treated poorly, especially in farm labor. Future Mexican American civil rights leaders fought to end this labor system in the 1940s.

  • United Mine Workers

    Frustrated with limits on wage increases and the no-strike pledge, in 1943 more than half a million United Mine Workers went on strike, demanding a higher wage increase than that recommended by the NWLB. Congress passed the Smith-Connally Act in response.

  • Smith-Connally Act

    It was also called the War Labor Disputes Act. The measure gave the president power to seize and operate privately owned war plants when a potential or actual strike was occurring and interfered with production for war. Strikes in seized plants were prohibited. War industry unions that failed to give 30 days notice of a strike were held responsible for damages.

  • The Taft Hartley Act

    Condemned by labor leaders as “slave labor law”. The act outlawed the closed shop, made unions liable for damages and required labor leaders to sign anti-communist oath.

  • NAFTA

    By saying that U.S. corporations could relocate production overseas and sell back into the U.S., NAFTA undercut the bargaining power of American workers. It established free trade zone between Canada, United States and Mexico. Increased jobs due to opening of Mexican markets.