Kevin Cross 2/21/2010 Homestead Strike Questions Industrialization: The dramatic increase in the productivity as a result of industry was

the primary reason for the rising big business capitalists. It dramatically changed the life style in America, and greatly widened the economic differences. Commercialization: The increased productivity called for a larger market base, so goods began to be transported around the country, This allowed people in more emote regions to get items usually found in more urban areas; it contributed to the spread of ideas as well. Urbanization: The larger populations forced people into closer quarters, where the cities flourished. Since the populations of cities increased so rapidly slums appeared, and crime was rampant throughout urban areas. Factories were frequently built near cities, and so more job opportunities were available. Transportation: With the advent of the railroad people could travel across the country much easier. This brought many people to populate the western states and territories. Goods were also able to be transported much faster, and in greater loads, thus opening broader markets. Immigration: Europeans immigrated to the U.S in hordes hoping for economic and social success. The rising immigration filled the country with cheap labor, but also created strong anti immigration sentiments. The immigrants also created small pockets of cultural outposts throughout the country. 1. Horatio Alger was known for writing stories concerning young boys working out of poverty, to living comfortable lives as well off adults. Andrew Carnegie represented this American ideal perfectly, as he went from working in a textile mill as a boy, to owning his massive steel company later in his life. 2. Carnegie Treated his laborers like most other industrialists; he had them working long 12 hour shifts for low wages, and cut their wages in face of the economic downturn. He believed that that because of his philanthropy his workers should be willing to work in such conditions. 3. Labor Unions allowed workers to have a voice in negotiating matters concerning their wages and working conditions. It allowed them to have an organized body to set up strikes in the face of unfair treatment. The unions goal was concerned with making sure the men earned enough money to live on, as well as ensuring workers rights. 4. Before the Homestead Strike broke out the AA was attempting to negotiate a wage increase for the workers, which Frick quickly shut down, and countered with a wage cut, as well as not recognizing the union as an organized body. Bessemer Steel: A new process which allowed for the mass production of steel. Carnegie used it to produce thousands of tons of steel to the infrastructure of the nation. Vertical Integration: Businesses would buy out all industries concerned with the product they were making, thereby allowing them to set prices and control every step of the production process. Haymarket Square Riot: A labor strike that turned violent after an unknown person threw a bomb into the crowd. It caused an uproar of anti union sentiments, and was a predecessor to the Homestead Strike.

Henry Clay Frick: Carnegies business partner, and the man whos refusal to negotiate lead to the Homestead Strike breaking out. He believed by obstinately refusing the workers their rights they would eventually come back to work peacefully. Pinkerton Guards: A hired militia used to break strikes, or protect strike breakers. They were often lower class men just looking for work. Anarchist Movement: The people in the movement called for an end to government. An anarchist Alexander Berkman attempted to kill Henry Clay Frick, which caused the public opinion to change against the strikers. 5. Andrew Carnegie was a villain wearing a plastic halo. His public works included donating vast sums of money to building libraries, institutions of higher education, as well as to churches. But, he worked his laborers in terrible dangerous conditions for a meager pay. His vertical monopoly probably harmed many small steel working businesses. 6. The Homestead Strike was a success in that it showed workers could unite to defend their rights. The unionizers may have been defeated, but their message inspired future strikes and protests. 7. The Homestead Strike was one of the most important days in U.S history, because it showed that the labor forces could assemble and hold their ground against the management. It also showed that even for short time the U.S people would agree with the strikers. 8. The video presented a view on the Homestead Strike, which was a pivotal moment during the Gilded Age. TAP chapter 20 largely concerns itself with the conflicts between labor and management. The video analyzed the reasons behind the strikers discontent, which stemmed from the managements refusing to recognize their union, and the managements ideas concerning the rights of the workers. TAP chapter 20 also goes into detailing how the working class went about forming their unions, and what they hoped to gain with them. GTTS chapter three involves the Pullman Strike which occurred in 1894, two years after the Homestead Strike. The aftermath of the Pullman Strike involved the government inspecting the conditions of workers in the industry, and lead the government to declare the workers have a right to unionize. It could be claimed that without the Homestead Strike generating so much attention to the working conditions a couple years earlier that the Pullman Strike would not have had as much of an impact.