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What Factors Shape The Growth Of Labor Unions During The Gilded Age

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4. What factors shaped the growth of labor unions during the Gilded Age? Compare the aims and achievements of the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World. The Gilded age was a time between 1877 and 1917. During this time there were quite a few different key events happening. For example in 1866 National Labor Union Formed, 1869 Knights of Labors formed, 1877 Railroad Workers strike Nationwide, 1886 Haymarket Square Bombing and American Federation of Labor Forms, 1892 Miners strike in Coeur d’Alene and the Idaho homestead strike occurs, 1894 Pullman Strike occurs. The Industrial Workers of the World was formed in 1905. There were also some key characters during this time as well, like Eugene …show more content…

The Knights of Labor first started off as a secret society in 1869, the Knights had to continue representing the work force of America because the National Labor Union was not able to survive the great depression. The union united skilled and unskilled laborers in the countryside and cities in one group. The Knights allowed blacks and women among its ranks unlike the National Labor Union. The union was able to win a few strikes but had lots of difficulties because they represented so many different groups. The union did last that long though especially when they were accused of associating with the people behind the Haymarket Square Bombing in Chicago in 1886. The bombing happened at a labor protest event where an unknown person threw a lit piece of dynamite at police officers The American Federation of Labor (AFL) quietly grew in power during the more volatile years following the great depression, coordinating efforts for several dozen independent labor unions. The American Federation of Labor only represented skilled white men. They pursued better wages and shorter workdays for their members. Even though the AFL only represented a small group of people this union survived the Gilded Age and would become one of the most powerful labor unions in the new century. The Industrial Workers of the World created in 1905 in chicago, by members of the socialist-led Western Federation of Miners and multiple other unions that were against what they saw as "class collaboration" by the American Federation of Labor (A.F.L.). Such as how they only catered to white

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