APUSH Labor Timeline

  • Knights of Labor

    In Philadelphia in 1869, the Knights of Labor were founded.
  • First Nationwide Strike

    In 1877, roughly 100,000 railroad workers went on strikes across the country and stopped trains across the nation.
  • American Federation of Labor Established

    In 1886, Samuel Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor.
  • Haymarket Square Riot

    During a labor demonstration in Chicago, a bomb exploded, and this inspired anti-labor feelings in many Americans.
  • Homestead Steel Strike

    In 1892, workers of the Carnegie Steel Company went on strike, and the strike was violently ended.
  • Pullman Strike

    50,000 rail workers rioted in Pullman, and this strike also ended in riots and violence.
  • International Workers of the World

    In 1905, the IWW is formed, with the goal of overthrowing the capitalist system and establishing socialism in its place.
  • U.S. Department of Labor

    In 1913, the U.S. government established the U.S. Department of Labor in order to protect the rights of workers.
  • Clayton Antitrust Act

    In 1914, the Clayton Antitrust Act legalizes nonviolent strikes and boycotts.
  • Minimum Wage

    In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act established the minimum wage in the United States.