Industrialization and the Gilded Age, 1865–1898

Most Americans welcomed immigrants because they provided valuable labor for expanding industries.

Immigrants faced less discrimination than they had in previous periods due to shifting social norms.

There was an increase in nativist sentiment due to fear of job competition from immigrants.

Immigration policy remained largely unchanged across these periods of American history.

Lack of organization

They were super effective

Unions were largely ignored by workers

Surplus of labor, including unskilled immigrants, meant plenty of scabs

Samuel Gompers

Eugene V. Debs

Terence V. Powderly

Uriah S. Stephens

The increase in American territorial expansion overseas.

The consolidation of industrial monopolies through laissez-faire policies.

The onset of government involvement in desegregation efforts.

The growing intensity of labor disputes and the emergence of unions.

A constant pro-labor inclination where federal action was deemed necessary regardless if it favored striking employees or not.

A continuous pro-business bias where the government always sided with employers when deciding to intervene directly within any kind of industrial situation.

An unwavering commitment towards neutrality ensuring federal powers were used minimally across various types or levels conflict intensity among labor disputes regardless industry involved.

Presidential interventions were inconsistent based upon perceived threats towards interstate commerce rather than a fixed policy toward all industrial conflicts.

Changes in industrial policies following the end of Reconstruction.

The impact of westward expansion on urban labor markets and industrialization.

Economic disparities resulting from the ideology of Manifest Destiny.

The transformation of work and increase in labor exploitation during the Industrial Revolution.

Little impact occurs on settlement patterns as homesteading policy already established primary pathways for migration westward.

Competition among new rail companies leads to diversified routes promoting more dispersed settlement across multiple Western territories.

Coastal cities experience population booms while inner territories face stagnation without centralized rail systems directing settlers inward.

Railroad monopolies re-emerge quickly; antitrust efforts prove temporary as companies circumvent regulations through informal agreements.

The strike could have set a precedent for stronger unions and labor rights.

It could have led to an outright ban on strikes.

The strike might not have had any significant impact on labor laws.

Workers would likely still be living in company towns like Pullman, Illinois.

It showcased the violent clashes that prompted government intervention favoring capitalists, setting a precedent for future labor relations.

The event demonstrated the effectiveness of peaceful protest in achieving labor reform during the Gilded Age.

The strike highlighted workers' successful negotiation tactics, leading to widespread adoption of collective bargaining.

It led to immediate federal legislation granting union recognition and collective bargaining rights across all industries.

The rise of monopolies throughout the Second Industrial Revolution

The westward expansion's increase in demand for resources like oil and gas.

The adoption of protectionist tariffs supporting domestic manufacturing growth

The shift from agrarian to urban economies due to industrialization.