Great Railroad Strike of 1877

Contents

Great Railroad Strike of 1877 was a pivotal event in the history of the United States, involving railroad workers and labor unions such as the Knights of Labor and the Workingmen's Party of the United States. The strike was sparked by a combination of factors, including wage cuts, poor working conditions, and the economic downturn of the Panic of 1873, which affected Jay Gould's Union Pacific Railroad and Cornelius Vanderbilt's New York Central Railroad. The strike drew support from prominent figures like Mary Harris Jones and Terence Powderly, who were influenced by the Paris Commune and the International Workingmen's Association. As the strike unfolded, it involved Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers, Pennsylvania Railroad employees, and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad laborers, among others.

Introduction

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 was a nationwide labor strike that began on July 16, 1877, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and spread to other parts of the United States, including Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Maryland, Chicago, Illinois, and San Francisco, California. The strike was led by railroad workers who were dissatisfied with the wage cuts and poor working conditions imposed by the railroad companies, such as the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Illinois Central Railroad. The strike drew support from other labor unions, including the National Labor Union and the American Federation of Labor, which were influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx and the Communist Manifesto. Prominent figures like Samuel Gompers and Eugene Debs played important roles in the strike, which was also influenced by the Haymarket affair and the Lawrence Textile Strike.

The causes of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 were complex and multifaceted, involving factors such as wage cuts, poor working conditions, and the economic downturn of the Panic of 1873, which affected J.P. Morgan's General Electric and John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil. The strike was also influenced by the Granger movement and the Populist Party, which advocated for the rights of farmers and workers. The railroad companies, including the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad, had imposed a series of wage cuts on their employees, which led to widespread discontent among the railroad workers. The strike was also sparked by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's decision to cut wages by 10%, which affected workers in West Virginia and Maryland. The Knights of Labor and the Workingmen's Party of the United States played important roles in organizing the strike, which drew support from socialist and anarchist groups, including the Socialist Labor Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World.

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 began on July 16, 1877, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and quickly spread to other parts of the United States, including Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Maryland, and Chicago, Illinois. The strike involved railroad workers from various railroad companies, including the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The strike was marked by violence and clashes between striking workers and law enforcement, including the National Guard and the United States Army. The strike was eventually put down by the military, but not before it had spread to over 20 states and involved over 100,000 workers. The strike drew support from prominent figures like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who were influenced by the women's suffrage movement and the Seneca Falls Convention. The strike also involved African American workers, who were affected by the Jim Crow laws and the Reconstruction Era.

The aftermath of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 was marked by a period of repression and violence against labor unions and striking workers. The strike led to the formation of the United States Strike Commission, which was established to investigate the causes of the strike and recommend solutions. The strike also led to the passage of the Adamson Act, which established the eight-hour day for railroad workers. The strike had a lasting impact on labor relations in the United States, leading to the growth of labor unions and the development of new labor laws. The strike drew comparisons to the Lawrence Textile Strike and the Pullman Strike, which were influenced by the Industrial Workers of the World and the American Federation of Labor. The strike also involved socialist and anarchist groups, including the Socialist Party of America and the Industrial Workers of the World.

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 had a significant impact on labor relations in the United States, leading to the growth of labor unions and the development of new labor laws. The strike drew support from prominent figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt, who were influenced by the New Deal and the Progressive Era. The strike led to the formation of the National Labor Relations Board, which was established to protect the rights of workers and promote fair labor practices. The strike also led to the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which established minimum wage and overtime protections for workers. The strike had a lasting impact on the labor movement in the United States, influencing the development of labor unions and the growth of socialist and anarchist movements, including the Socialist Workers Party and the Industrial Workers of the World. The strike also involved African American workers, who were affected by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.