Industrialism, Urbanization, and Immigration: A Timeline

By: Adrianna and Bailey

1860s-1900s – City Growth

Factors: lure of the cities and culture, new transportation, domestic migrations, foreign immigration.

Leads to public space, tenements, pollution, skyscrapers, etc.

1860s-1870s – Political Machines

Product of potential voting power of large immigrant communities. Mostly corruption and graft.Promised the immigrants

jobs and housing if they voted for a candidate.

Most famous was “Boss” William Marcy Tweed at Tammany Hall in NY.

1866 – National Labor Union

A polyglot association. Over 640,000 members at

peak. Mostly male workers, because

women drove down the wages. Requested 8 hour workdays,

among other things. A foundation for other unions.One of the founders,

William H. Sylvis

1869 – Knights of Labor

Open to all who “toiled;” including women, but excluding lawyers, bankers, liquor dealers, and professional gamblers.

Loosely organized, over 700,000 members at peak.

Interested in a long range long-range reform of the economy.

Terence V. Powderly, one ofthe leaders of the Knights.

1873 – Panic of 1873

“Started” by the Northern Pacific Railroad and rippled to thousands of company bankruptcies.

Resulted in the “The Long Depression.”

Not ending until the mid-1890s.

1876 – President Hayes Elected

Rutherford Hayes (Rep.) vs. Samuel J. Tilden (Dem.) Tilden won popular vote, but Hayes won electoral votes. He needed all

20 of Florida and others’ disputed votes to win election. Based on electoral commission to decide the disputed votes. There were

5 Dems., 5 Repubs. (in Congress), 2 Repubs., 2 Dems., and 1 Independent (in Supreme Court).

The Independent was actually semi-Republican, so he sides with the Republicans, with a vote of 8 to 7 that Hayes would get the 20 votes.

1877 – Great Railroad Strike

Eastern railroads announce a 10% wage cut.

Strikers stop work and end rail traffic from Baltimore to St. Louis.

Pres. Hayes calls out federal troops.

First major, national labor conflict.

1886 – American Federation of Labor

Made of autonomous craft unions and represented mainly skilled workers.

Opposed women membership, but championed for women’s workplace rights.

Called for 8 hour workdays, better wages, and better working conditions.

Supporter of immediate relief.

Samuel Gompers, one of theleaders of the AFL.

1886 – Haymarket Square

A strike against the McCormick Harvester Company in Chicago was going on; police want it ended.

Someone throws a bomb into the crowd; most likely some anarchist.

Anarchy becomes a worry among Americans.

Devastating to the Knights of Labor.

1890s – New Immigrants

Immigration had shifted from western Europeans to southern and eastern Europe.

Included Italians, Poles, Slavs, Greeks, Russians, and others.

Creates more unskilled workforce labor, but makes ethic cities as well.

1892 – Homestead Strike

Affiliated with the AFL. At Homestead Iron and Steel Plant,

wage cuts were made over the years, and a union calls for a strike.

Pinkertons are called in. Come by water, but oil and fire on water stop them.

Penn. National Guard is called in. Union falls apart and work resumes.

1892 – Chinese Exclusion Act

A ten year suspension on Chinese immigration, which would later be extended.

Said that the Chinese endangered the well being of Americans.

Mostly wanted them out because of the scarce jobs they were taking.

1893 – Columbian Exposition in Chicago

Also known as the Chicago World’s Fair.

Made to honor 400 year anniversary of Columbus’ journey to the U.S.

Around a large lagoon in the center, there was the “Great White City,” full of neoclassical (Greek inspired) buildings.

Inspired the “city beautiful” movement.

1893 – Panic of 1893

One of the most severe depressions up until that time.

Two railroad companies can’t pay back loans, causing panic in banks, small and large businesses, etc.

Farm prices are also on the downturn, with high production and low demand.

Every industry is affected.

“Panic” is sweeping up WallStreet after the collapse.

1894 – Pullman Strike

Pullman Sleeping Car Company. Made a town for workers to live in.

Winter 1893-94 made wage cuts, but didn’t lower rent price (already pricy).

Strike led by Eugene V. Debs. After disagreements with

negotiators (notably John Altgeld), federal troops were sent it to end it.

1896 – McKinley Elected

McKinley vs. William Jennings Bryan (Populist and “Cross of Gold” Speech). The birth of modern campaigning, with speeches and money spent.

Populists join with Democrats, but it was unsuccessful. Marks the end of the Populist party.