Mr. Mulry U.S. History 2 Ch. 13: The Triumph of Industry Primary Source Documents Historical Context: As industrialization intensified, the booming American economy relied heavily on workers to fuel its success. But struggles between business owners and workers also intensified, as workers rebelled against low pay and unsafe working conditions. To keep the economy thriving, Americans had to find ways to ease the tensions between business owners and workers. Task: Who do you think was correct about the way to settle disputes between organized labor and big business: business owners, organized labor, or the government? Use the knowledge of the chapter content and specific evidence from the primary and secondary sources above to support your opinion. Document A “The workers at the blast furnaces in our steel-rail works once sent in a ‘round-robin’ stating that unless the firm gave them an advance of wages by Monday afternoon at four o’ clock they would leave the furnaces...Gentlemen of the Blast Furnace Committee, you have threatened our firm that you will break your agreement and that you will leave these blast furnaces ...unless you get a favorable answer to your threat by four o’ clock today. It is not three but your answer is ready. You may leave the blast furnaces....The worst day that labor has ever seen in this world is that day in which it dishonors itself by breaking its agreement. You have your answer.” -The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie, August 1920 Document B “In the winter of 1893-1894 the employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company...joined the new American Railway Union...attempting to organize all workers connected with the railways....The [Pullman] company refused to consider arbitration and the boycott went into effect....Indictments charging Debs [president of the American Railway Union] and others of violations of the Sherman Act were secured....As a result of the various injunctions, indictments, and the activities of federal troops which reached Chicago, following directions from President Cleveland, the strike and the consequent violence were practically at an end by the middle of July.” -Labor and the Sherman Act by Edward Berman, 1930 Document C “There was a time when workmen were denied the right of leaving their employers, when they were part of the soil, owned by their employers....Not many years ago, when workmen counseled with each other for the purpose of resisting a reduction in their wages or making an effort to secure an increase, it was held to be a conspiracy punishable by imprisonment. Through the effort of organized labor, an enlightened public sentiment changed al this until to-day the right to unite for material, moral, and social improvement on the part of workers is accepted by all.” -Samuel Gompers to Editor, Washington Evening Star, May 15, 1900 [OVER] 1 Document D 2 Please answer the following: 1. In document A, what view does Andrew Carnegie take toward organized labor? A. Businesses should bargain with employees. B. Workers should be paid fair wages. C. Employees should honor their original work agreement. D. Business owners should take worker’ threats seriously. Answer: __________ 2. Which document is a secondary source that describes how the Sherman Act was used as a legal tool to end a strike? A. Document D B. Document A C. Document B D. Document C Answer: __________ 3. Who does the cartoonist ridicule in Document D? A. The government B. The Knights of Labor C. The Sherman Antitrust Act D. George Pullman Answer: __________ Writing Task Please respond to the following in paragraph form on a separate piece of paper: Who do you think was correct about the way to settle disputes between organized labor and big business: business owners, organized labor, or the government? Use your knowledge of the chapter content and specific evidence from the primary and secondary sources above to support your opinion. 3 4