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Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone
Scientist Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone. This made communication between business and family much simpler. -
Railroad Strike of 1877
The strike took place in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The strike happened because the company had reduced workers' wages twice over the previous year and the strikers refused to let the trains run until the most recent pay cut was returned to the employees. -
James Garfield elected President
Republican James Garfield is from Ohio and was the 20th president to be elected to the United States. His popular-vote margin of victory over Democrat Winfield Hancock is 7,018 votes out of more than 9 million. Garfield receives 214 Electoral College votes and Hancock received 155. -
President Garfield assassinated
President Garfield was assassinated just 4 months into his term. Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau at 9:30 am at the train station. Garfield died 79 days later on September 19. -
The Pendleton Act
The Pendleton Act provided that Federal Government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that Government employees would be selected through competitive exams. The act also made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons employees who were covered by the law. -
Cleveland elected President
Democrat Grover Cleveland defeats Republican James Blaine and was elected president of the United States. Cleveland's popular vote margin of victory was 62,683 votes out of more than 10 million. In the Electoral College, Cleveland received 219 votes compared to Blaine's 182. -
Homestead Steel Strike
Henry Frick shut down the factory and locked out their employees when negotiations with representatives from the Amalgamated Association of Steel and Iron Workers broke down. -
Battle at Homestead Steel
During the fourteen-hour battle, seven steel workers and three detectives were killed. The striking steel workers tried to prevent the barges from landing. The battle was were two barges filled with armed Pinkerton Detectives attempted to land at Homestead to guard Carnegie's steel plant. -
Pullman Strike
Workers employed at the Pullman Company went on strike when the company's owner, George Pullman, refused to reduce rents in the company housing to match announced wage cuts. -
William McKinley elected President
Republican William McKinley was the 25th president of the United States. William received 7,035,638 popular votes during his election.
