Urban Labor DBQ Essay

The nineteenth century was the result of the U.S. growing urbanization and the early twentieth century marked the new industrial age. The workplace was dramatically changing bringing in women, children and immigrants, most unskilled workers. An abundance of workers were available for these jobs making them expendable in dangers conditions while wage continued to decrease. Most workers had at least a ten to twelve-hour work day, making less money than what was necessary to live a decent life. Health and safety conditions were a concern in the workplace, Federal laws offered little protection and poor workers had limited resources. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was put in place to stop laborers from organizing unions, state and local government

Industrialization changed Americas social structure and economy, but with progressions provoked the rise of unions and labor movements. The case of Commonwealth v. Hunt, the Massachusetts Supreme court ordered that it was not illegal for workers to unionize and strike. This was an extremely important step for Americans urban laborers. For almost twenty years after that Commonwealth v. Hunt ruling unions were very small and very slowly progressing, birthing the National Labor Union years later. The depression of the 1870s put an end to the National Labor union, but this union did persuade congress to pass an eight-hour work day for federal employees. The labor movements were still growing strength slowly and another important union was established called the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The AFL believed workers would remain laborers their whole live, so they created a feeling of self-importance though skills and job. The only allowed skilled workers to enter their union, working towards goals such as liability, increased wages, and a standard eight-hour work day. The ALF used boycotts and negotiation to achieve their goals using strike funds collected form workers, helped the ALF to strike and still get