Many songs, born of the American labor and civil rights movements, called people to action and were used to spread the messages of workers' rights and civil rights. Here you will find a nice collection of such songs. All songs in the...

A short, easy-to-understand biography of Mother Jones (1837-1930 CE) who was active in union and labor movements.

Outline of the struggles, conflict and violence experienced by 19th Century industrial workers.

An essay that looks at issues affecting Americans leading up to the Civil War. These included economic changes that led to new ideological, social, cultural, and political issues that further divided the nation along moral and regional...

Article outlines the rise of industrial unions during the 1920s and 30s and the impact unions had on politics.

Every economic system tries to anticipate and then meet human needs through the production and distribution of goods and services. The economic system is the mechanism that brings together natural resources, the labor supply, technology,...

In April of 1999, Representative John T. Doolittle delivered a speech before the United States House of Representatives commemorating the contribution of Chinese-Americans to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. This site...

Read about the terrible treatment of Mexican American citizens and immigrants during the Hoover presidency. See how they received some help with the New Deal.

A collection of original documents that deal with the interactions between the film industry and the government. They cover such issues as censorship, film industry regulation, labor issues, juvenile delinquency, and the blacklisting of...

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the emergence of the Workingmen's Party as a political force in St. Louis, its role in the railroad strikes of 1877, and how it may have...

A good description of the beginnings of the Republican Party before the Civil War, and the transformation to Radical Republicanism during Reconstruction as they attempted to guarantee equal rights for African Americans. Information is...

This companion to the PBS series surveys the career of the longest-serving president in U.S. history and leader through the Great Depression and World War II.

Read about the black codes in various states enacted as a result of Johnson's lenient Reconstruction plans. From "Trial by Fire, A People's History of the Civil War and Reconstruction" by Paige Smith.

Read about the discontinued use of slave labor in the Western world in the first half of the 19th century in all but five countries in the Western Hemisphere, most notably, the American South. See why Southern politicians and slave...

Many colonists came to Jamestown to find gold. Read about what finally brought money into the colony, and what John Rolfe's role was in that. Read about who the workers were who provided the labor for this new money source.

A dark side to the Jazz Age was the increase in the fear of Communism. Read about the federal government's actions to stem anything that was thought to threaten American security.

A lesson plan that includes a history of Chinese labor in America and pertinent historical documents and analysis sheets about the Chinese Boycott Case.

Excellent overview of the Chinese experience in California complete with historical photos and primary documents. Site provides information on San Francisco's Chinatown, the anti-Chinese Movement, and Chinese laborers.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson plan seeks to discover the impact George Pullman had, not only on the railroad industry, but also on American life, by improving rail travel, and also establishing a company town for his...

A brief biography of Terence Powderly, formative leader of the Knights of Labor, as well as an official in the Bureau of Immigration.

A brief biography of Samuel Gompers focusing primarily on his activities in labor union history.

Ohio History Central gives a brief summary of the Great Steel Strike of 1919, an attempt by steel workers to get higher pay and a shorter work day. Find out the results of the strike.

Debs began his association with labor issues at an early age starting with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. He went on to be active in the American Railway Union, the Socialist Party of America, and the Industrial Workers of the...

Read an excerpt from a letter written by Chicago radical and Haymarket defendant, Albert Parsons, to the "Chicago Times" concerning Terence V. Powderly and the Haymarket riot. Also links to other related sites.