2.06 U.S. HISTORY

The Knights of Labor

The Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor (KOL) was formed in 1869 in Philadelphia. Uriah S. Stephens and a handful of tailors created this union to organize skilled and unskilled workers in the same union. The Knights of Labor offered membership to workers regardless of gender or race. In the early years, it was a secret organization because many workers who were openly in unions were fired. They created elaborate secret rituals drawn from the Freemasons. By the early 1880s, they were a national force powerful enough to drop their secrecy.

The KOL had ambitious goals. Among these goals:


an eight-hour work day

end child labor

end the use of prison labor, which deprived other workers of jobs

equal pay for women

government ownership of railroads and telegraph lines

land policy that benefited settlers instead of speculators

a graduated income tax

Although the KOL initially opposed using strikes, they were common by the mid-1880s. The Knights won strikes against the Union Pacific Railroad in 1884 and the Wabash Railroad in 1885. But they failed to win the Missouri Pacific strike in 1886. That was the same year of the Haymarket Square Riot, during which a bomb exploded, killing several policemen. Soon the Knights’ demands appeared to go against the American system of government and economy. Opponents of the Knights became more vocal. Poor management, internal bickering, and feuds between skilled and unskilled workers eroded its support. By 1900, the Knights of Labor were virtually powerless, and other less radical unions became more popular.

The American Federation of Labor
Samuel Gompers had observed the Knights of Labor struggling. He knew that what workers wanted most were higher wages and improved working conditions. In 1886, Gompers met with leaders from the masons’ union, the hatmakers’ union, and other craft unions to form the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Unlike the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor did not seek to include unskilled workers. Gompers believed the union would have more power if it represented only skilled workers. It also used strikes to force improvements for workers.

Gompers recognized that support for the Knights of Labor had suffered because of the organization’s radical ideas. As a result, the American Federation of Labor pursued a more moderate course. It provided strike relief, or support, to striking workers so they could continue to provide for their families. Successful strikes helped improve workers’ wages and reduced the length of their workweek.

By 1900, as the Knights were declining, Gompers’ union had over 500,000 skilled tradespeople in its ranks. He was seen as the leader of labor, and until the Great Depression, the AFL was seen as the nation’s most important labor organization. The AFL benefitted from Gompers’ leadership and the realistic goals he set.

Now select the correct responses to the following questions about the case study.
Answer Key

Question 1 (Worth 5 points)

Which of the following was used against unions?

 the right to strike

 ANSWER - Sherman Anti-Trust Act

 Fourteenth Amendment

 the right to collectively bargain

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 2 (Worth 5 points)

Which type of economy is practiced in the United States today?

 supply economy

ANSWER - mixed economy

 market economy

 planned economy

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 3 (Worth 5 points)

Which of the following can be said about labor movements by the end of the 19th century?

ANSWER -  They had successfully organized skilled workers into unions.

 They had won vast public support for their cause.

 They had secured the right to bargain collectively.

 They had forced the government to pass workplace safety laws.

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 4 (Worth 5 points)

What was the main goal of labor unions by the end of the 19th century?

 protection for immigrant workers and ending child labor

 a return to the days before factories

ANSWER - higher wages and better working conditions

 direction of the economy by the government

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 5 (Worth 5 points)

Which type of economic system was favored by small business owners?

 controlled market

 mixed economy

ANSWER - free market

 planned economy

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 6 (Worth 5 points)

How did the American Federation of Labor and the Knights of Labor view membership?

 Both allowed unskilled workers to be members.

 Neither allowed unskilled workers to be members.

ANSWER - Only the Knights of Labor allowed unskilled workers to be members.

 Only the American Federation of Labor allowed unskilled workers to be members.

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 7 (Worth 5 points)

How did the American Federation of Labor view strikes?

 They were the first union to ever use the strike.

 They considered strikes a violation of federal law and un-American.

ANSWER - They embraced strikes as an effective way to make gains for workers.

 They initially resisted strikes but eventually used them when there were no other options.

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 8 (Worth 5 points)

What would have happened if both unions had survived into the 20th century?

ANSWER - Their power would be fractured because membership was split.

 There would have been fewer strikes because the unions were so powerful.

 An eight-hour workday and equal pay for women would have been realized.

 Their power would expand because both unions had the same goals and methods.

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 9 (Worth 5 points)

How might the Knights of Labor have developed if its members had admitted belonging to the union?

ANSWER - Development would have suffered because many of the workers would have been fired.

 Business leaders would have been more supportive if the Knights had been less secretive.

 The federal government would have been more supportive if the Knights had been less secretive.

 Development would have improved because workers would see how popular the union had become.

Points earned on this question: 5

Question 10 (Worth 5 points)

What can be concluded about the demise of the Knights of Labor?

 They would have survived if they had been more radical.

 They would have survived if they included unskilled workers.

ANSWER - The public wanted a more moderate approach to labor issues.

 The public supported the eight-hour workday and equal pay for women.

Points earned on this question: 5