Labor Movements and Key Figures

The video covers chapter 17 of American history, focusing on the rise of big business, key business strategies like vertical and horizontal integration, and the role of innovators such as Gustavus Swift and John D. Rockefeller. It discusses the corporate workplace, labor conditions, and the impact of immigration on the workforce. The emergence of labor movements and unions, including the Knights of Labor and the AFL, is also explored. The video concludes with a preview of chapter 18.

Who is credited with creating the assembly line, which was later expanded by Henry Ford?

• Gustavus Swift

• J.P. Morgan

• Andrew Carnegie

• John D. Rockefeller

What is vertical integration?

• Merging with competitors to gain market advantage

• Controlling all aspects of production from start to finish

• Setting prices below cost to drive competitors out of business

• Holding stock from competing firms to control them

What role did women predominantly take in the corporate office by the end of the 1800s?

• Sales positions

• Stenographers and clerks

• Middle managers

• Factory workers

What was a significant factor that made immigrants an ideal labor supply for business owners?

• They worked for very little money

• They were easy to unionize

• They demanded higher wages

• They had strong language skills

What was the main cause of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877?

• Introduction of new machinery

• Wage cuts

• Longer working hours

• Discrimination against immigrants

What was the primary goal of the Knights of Labor?

• To promote skilled labor only

• To establish workplace safety laws and eliminate child labor

• To support the interests of business owners

• To focus on bread and butter issues

What event led to the downfall of the Knights of Labor?

• The Great Railroad Strike

• The Haymarket Square Riot

• The formation of the AFL

• The passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act

What was the focus of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)?

• Elimination of all forms of government

• Public ownership of railroads

• Skilled workers and bread and butter issues

• Open membership for all workers

Who led the American Federation of Labor for many decades?

• Samuel Gompers

• John D. Rockefeller

• Terrence Powderly

• Frederick Taylor

What was a key characteristic of the AFL compared to the Knights of Labor?

• It allowed unskilled workers

• It focused on skilled workers only

• It had open membership for women and blacks

• It supported anarchism