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Immigration During The Gilded Age

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Eric Foner places the Gilded Age as having lasted between 1870 and 1890 . The period was marked by rapid industrialization as the country sought to rebuild after the devastation of war. It was also characterized by various social, economic, and political changes as the state adjusted itself to fit the realities of the modern world. The Civil War had resulted in the abolition of slavery, and there was an influx of immigrants into the country who saw it as a chance to gain a better life . There were many divisions as to what direction the country was headed. There were those who opposed the immigrants and, thus, adopted nationalist policies to label the real Americans versus the foreigners. The immigrants, on their part, formed the largest labor …show more content…

During the Gilded Age, the economy was growing and rapidly urbanizing. The development of the transport network that was mainly via railroads increased the efficiency of communication and movement of people and goods. There was a significant shift from an agricultural economy to an industrial one. Many Americans moved from the rural areas to the rapidly growing urban areas . The economy gave birth to a middle class and consumerism in the cities. In addition to this trend, there was mass immigration as American prosperity became apparent internationally. At the time, many portions of the world such as in Europe were experiencing strife. This led to migration to the US. Most of these immigrants were poorly skilled and uneducated. They got low paying jobs that barely helped them to make a …show more content…

Rondinone notes that later on, the Americans would develop a more encompassing idea of identity that would reflect the changing times . Nevertheless, these beliefs had not yet taken root in 1894. There was fear among the nationalists, and this motivated their negative response to the workers. This fear drove the response that the state and federal government adopted with regards to dealing with striking workers. The government, upon the wishes of the public, viewed the strikers as being foreigners out to destabilize the country. Thus, they used force to crush these revolts. However, the strike marked a starting point for a change in labor relations and American identity. In conclusion, the Pullman Strike of 1894 was instrumental in changing American labor relations. Prior to the strike, the government always tended to side with the owners against the workers. However, the strike changed the perception that many people had with regards to the labor conditions of the workers. The strike forced Americans to review how they wanted the government to respond to labor conflicts. The strike also strengthened American workers in that it gave them more political and economic power. They were able to agitate for their rights without the government supporting the

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Another result of the Triangle Factory fire that resulted in change in the American workplace was the attempts of labor unions and strikes. Prior to the fire, in 1909, one of the more notable strikes dubbed the "Uprising of 20,000" was organized primarily by female immigrant garment workers because of the awful conditions, long hours, and low wages they were made to work in due to the lack of options available to them (Pool, 2012). The primary challenge was to get attention paid to the mistreatment of immigrant workers. While there were short term agreements for their demands, the strike ultimately failed, however where it did succeed was exposing poor working conditions and stirring a debate about what counted as public and private (Pool,

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Both strikes failed because of the federal government, with neither one improving workers’ lives, and illustrated the general results of union efforts. Despite all this, however, just the demonstration of striking could have an effect on workers. As Samuel Gompers realized in Document I, without leverage to strike, the employers would hold all the cards and conditions would continually worsen, and he sought to convey this to the House of Representatives, perhaps in an effort to convince them to protect labor rights. That was what made the workers’ plight so concerning in the late half of the 19th century. Social Darwinism had

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The Railroad strike showed how the disputes between workers and employers could no longer be localized in the new economy, and the deep resentment that workers had toward their employers. The failure of this strike greatly weakened the railroad unions and reputation of labor

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The organized labor of 1875-1900 was unsuccessful in proving the position of workers because of the future strikes, and the intrinsical feeling of preponderation of employers over employees and the lack of regime support. In 1877, railroad work across the country took part in a cyclopean strike that resulted in mass violence and very few reforms. An editorial, from the Incipient York Time verbalized: "the strike is ostensibly hopeless, and must be regarded as nothing more than a rash and splenetic demonstration of resentment by men too incognizant or too temerarious to understand their own interest" (Document B). In 1892, workers at the Homestead steel plant near Pittsburg ambulated out on strike and mass chaos the lives of at least two Pinkerton detectives and one civilian, among many other laborers death (Document G).

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The strike became one of the most influential events in the history of United States labor law. The labor law in 1894 in the United States was changed in a significant way after the strike, as it was the first strike that received national attention and tested labor laws. The government intervened in the relationship between employers and their workers. For the first time an injunction by the government was used to break up a strike and block a major union activity. Many industrials and unions were affected by this intervention.

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What happened during the strike and what did it reveal of American society at the time?

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While America was still in the Gilded Age, the industrial boom of America happened right alongside. The years between 1865 and 1900 saw many monumental changes, including the exponential expansion of America’s railroad system. With government incentives of land and money, railroad companies worked hard and laid miles and miles of new track down on America’s land. Most notable of these track was the Transcontinental Railroad. With the government giving the Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad land and money grants, construction was finished with record speeds.

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*Pullman Strike * The Pullman Strike was widespread by the United States railroad workers, approximately a quarter-million worker were on strike at the peak and it impacted the expedition the railroad system across the states. The strike between the American Railway Union and George Pullman changed the course of future strikes when President Grover Cleveland ordered federal troops to break up the strikers; its influenced how the federal government and the court system would handle labor issues. The labor issues during the Pullman Strike were not limited that of rights of the workers, the role of management in the workers private life, and the roles of government resolving labor conflicts. Pullman planned communities for his workers how he determined

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Citizens that were born in the United States became angry with the new settlers stealing their employments and bringing down wages so groups were formed that were against the immigrants. When they emerged they battled against nonnative-born workers in each possible way. They drafted laws to make migrants lives troublesome through poor living conditions, exclusion acts, and high taxes. They also made the Chinese Exclusion Act which banned all Chinese nationals from coming to America because of their overpopulation of the California area. More and more workers were starting to understand that regardless of their many contrasts between them they had a considerable amount of similarities, and they should join to battle for their rights

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Your analysis is most agreeable. Although the gilded age was the era of huge technological advancements, it was certainly not a pleasant time for all of the people who lived in America. It was not only the native Americans who were not in their best condition from a political and economical aspect, but the immigrants were suffering to some extent too. Unlike the Native Americans that were forced out of their homes, the immigrants had their decision made for them; they lived in tenements, because of their financial situations. Also, often times, immigrants did not have many career options, since most of them were uneducated and were struggling with the language, so they worked in railroads and mines that sometimes belonged to the Natives.

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Whereas opposition to the campaign believed the fact that foreign counterparts were worse off than American laborers should be enough to keep workers content, proponents of the AFL believed in the right to individual’s economic liberties. An individual’s right to economic liberty is based upon the idea of any consumer owning the ability to make their own purchasing decisions. A workers economic standing in the realm of production and consumption should not dictate whether or not they are able to purchase select goods and intangible joy, but should be given the opportunity to spend their income however they deem fit for

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they felt like not only America but these newcomers were taking their land and changing their way of life. Around the 1850's a huge number of Asians came to America. Chinese laborers came over because so they could work on the Central pacific railroad. By 1868, over 12,000 Chinese immigrants were employed, they made up about 80% of the laborers. Another reason for coming to the U.S. for them, was because of the California gold rush.

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I believe the impact of the harsh condition at work that many people relate to at this time, was that it started to bring people together. People gained that feeling of safety and confidence, knowing that they weren’t alone or invisible. In my opinion this was the start of Americans coming together as a nation, even though it might have taken a while to get there. Even though immigrants were treated differently at work than the other employees, they still made up a huge part of the work force.

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This was a historical event, that was known as the strike that shook America. Firstly, this essay covered the analysis of the strike. It drew upon the major issues at heart that caused the strike, who was involved in the strike and why. Secondly, this essay did describe and explain the course of strike, meaning what happened during the strike and what the outcome of the strike was and why. Lastly, this essay focused on the historical significance and importance aspects of the strike.

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America’s Diverse Population In the nineteenth century, rates of immigration across the world increased. Within thirty years, over eleven million immigrants came to the United States. There were new types of people migrating than what the United States were used to seeing as well. Which made people from different backgrounds and of different race work and live in tight spaces together; causing them to be unified.

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