10 DAYS THAT UNEXPECTEDLY CHANGED AMERICA
“The Homestead Strike,” July 6, 1892
1. How did the Haymarket Square Riot (1886) impact the labor movement in the late 1800s?
2. Describe the business practices of Andrew Carnegie.
3. What were “scabs?”
4. What happened when the townspeople met the Pinkertons on the riverbank?
5. Who developed a new method for mass producing steel? How did this impact factories in the U.S.?
6. Explain the following quote in your own words, “’It would seem that the bullet from Berkman’s pistol, failing in its foul intent, went straight through the heart of the Homestead strike,’ (pg. 120).”
7. True/False – Andrew Carnegie’s company became the largest steel manufacturer in the world by 1896.
8. What were the major uses for steel in the U.S. (during peacetime and wartime)?
9. Explain the following quote in your own words, “The strike made clear that in labor disputes government would intervene decisively on the side of capital (pg. 123).”
10. Why did the Pullman Company go on strike in 1894? Who led the boycott against the railroad?
ESSAY: Choose ONE of the following.
“Do you think the government should support workers demanding better conditions, higher wages, and shorter workdays?” Explain your answer in 1-2 well-written paragraphs.
OR
“After reading this selection, would you consider Andrew Carnegie to be a robber baron? Why or why not?” Explain your answer in 1-2 well-written paragraphs.