U. S. History IHonorsMs. Lewis-Cantor

Debate: The Pullman Strike, 1894

Objective:

The class will be divided into 2 teams. One team will represent Labor, and the other will represent Management. The teams will debate the Pullman Strike by concentrating on the following issues:

Issue #1: The conditions in Pullman Town were fair/ unfair

Issue #2: Given the situation, the strikers had/ did not have a good

reason to strike.

Issue #3: The American Railway Union acted correctly/ incorrectly.

Issue #4: The U.S. government was correct/ incorrect in passing the Omnibus Indictment and issuing the injunction.

Issue #5: The U.S. government was correct/ incorrect in sending in federal troops to end the strike.

Issue #6: Given the situation, the actions of the union/ troops were more defensible.

Procedure:

Teams will prepare the debate. Assign one person to make an opening statement, one person to make a closing statement, and 1-2 people to debate each issue for your side. Everybody has to debate an issue. Spend most of the class time researching and preparing the debate.

On Monday (Madison) or Wednesday (Grant) (and part of Wednesday or Thursday), teams will debate according to the following time table:

Opening Statements: 1 minute per team

Issue Debate: Four minutes per team per issue. Speakers may use their time all at

once or go back and forth for 8 minutes.

Closing statements: 2 minutes per team.

Most of the information that you need has been given to you. You must use additional information, but if you do you must bring in a copy of the ‘evidence’ to show the other team.

Students will be grated on their individual performance (75 points).

Each student must fill in the attached chart during the debate.

U. S. History IHonorsMs. Lewis-Cantor

Debate: The Pullman Strike, 1894

Issue / Evidence and Arguments for Labor / Evidence and Arguments for Management
Issue #1: The conditions in Pullman Town were fair/ unfair
Issue #2: Given the situation, the strikers had/ did not have a good
reason to strike
Issue #3: The American Railway Union acted correctly/ incorrectly.
Issue #4: The U.S. government was correct/ incorrect in passing the Omnibus Indictment and issuing the injunction.
Issue #5: The U.S. government was correct/ incorrect in sending in federal troops to end the strike.
Issue #6: Given the situation, the actions of the union/ troops were more defensible.
Issue / Evidence and Arguments for Labor / Evidence and Arguments for Management