Student Handouts
Major Strikes in the American Labor Movement
Have your class organize information about strikes in a handy chart. Pupils take notes on the Homestead Strike, the Lawrence Strike, and the Pullman Strike. Along the left side of the chart are six questions for learners to answer about...
Curated OER
The Growth of the American Labor Movement
Explore the world of labor unions and organized strikes of the early 20th century in this presentation. With stark pictures of child laborers and striking workers, these slides are sure to leave an indelible impression on your students-...
Curated OER
The Most Dangerous Woman in America: Mary Harris "Mother" Jones
Students discover labor issues of the 1800's. In this Pennsylvanian history instructional activity, students research the case of Mary Harris Jones and discover her work as a labor activist. Students discuss the case together...
Curated OER
Why did the Homestead Strike turn violent?
Fifth graders practice reading skills while looking at different accounts of The Homestead Strike. In this reading skills lesson plan, 5th graders practice sourcing, close reading, and corroboration through reading a timeline and...
Curated OER
Labor Unions and Strikes
Teens explore economics by listening to a labor history lecture and an excerpt from Looking Backward, by Edward Bellamy. A detailed outline is provided for the lecture, along with follow up and assessment questions. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Vocab-u-lous! Build a Fabulous Vocab
In this vocabulary worksheet, learners select the best word choice to complete the sentence. All words correspond to the theme of Labor Day.
Curated OER
Discovering and Covering the Battle of Homestead
Students examine the general events of the Homestead strike through reading comprehension of a one-page synopsis. They locate the events of the Homestead Strike. Comprehend multiple perspectives of the reasons, relationships and results...
Curated OER
Big Business & Industrial Cities
This is a true gem. This PowerPoint is well-organized, has bullet points you control (which gives you time for discussion), has sound effects, and covers several aspects of American industrialization after 1900. The presentation begins...
OpenStax
Open Stax: Industrialization: Building Industrial America on the Backs of Labor
Learn about the lives of the working class in Industrial America, what led to the formation of labor unions, and why labor unions were not successful despite strike actions.
US Department of Labor
U.s. Department of Labor: Labor in the Industrial Era
This interesting essay traces the growth of the Knights of Labor from a group that represented those in the shoe industry in Philadelphia to a nationwide union fighting for workers' rights. It also traces other union developments over...
Digital History
Digital History: Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor
A good look at not only Samuel Gompers and the formation of the American Federation of Labor, but also of the course of unionism in general, its successes and failures, its goals, and membership in the late 19th century.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: The Homestead Strike
This collection uses primary sources to explore the Homestead Strike.
Digital Public Library of America
Dpla: The Homestead Strike
This primary source set uses illustrations, documents, and photographs to tell the story of the Homestead Strike.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Labor Unions and Strikes
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart focuses on the Haymarket Riot, the Homestead Strike, and the Pullman Strike.
University of California
History Project: The Homestead Strike of 1892
This high school activity focuses on the Homestead Strike of 1892. Students are asked to write an essay explaining why the strike occurred and how the Carnegie Company went about winning the strike. Included are twenty-seven primary...
Shmoop University
Shmoop: Labor in the Gilded Age
The Gilded Age was a period of terrible labor violence, as industrialists and workers fought for control of the workplace. Workers organized the first large American labor unions during the Gilded Age, while employers tried to stop the...
Vassar College
Vassar College: 1896: The Homestead and Pullman Strikes
1896, A Website of Political Cartoons and Commentary provides the illustrated story of both the Homestead and Pullman strikes with quotes from newspapers of the time and a brief characterization of Andrew Carnegie. The site includes a...
Ohio State University
E History: Labor Management Conflict
History of the labor/management conflicts that occurred around the country at the beginning of the 20th century. Click on each of the links to get information about each of the conflicts.
University of Houston
University of Houston: An American Industrial Revolution Unit: Rise of Labor
Students learn about the history of the labor movement in Industrial America, including some of the major unions that emerged and the most well-known strikes. Next, they make connections to the role of unions today. They then work in...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1865 1898: Labor Battles in the Gilded Age
Discusses the Homestead Strike of 1892 and the Pullman Strike of 1894 and how these ended, as well as responses of the federal government to the labor movement. Includes questions for students at end.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1865 1898: Labor Battles in the Gilded Age
As the United States became a major industrial power, conflict between workers and factory owners intensified. Read about the Homestead Strike and the Pullman Strike, two of the most famous labor battles in American history.
Curated OER
History Matters: I Will Kill Frick
Find information about the Homestead strike and the treatment of the workers inspired some labor activists to plot the murder of Henry Clay Frick. Part of the autobiography of Emma Goldman.
Country Studies US
Country Studies: The Struggles of Labor
This site discusses how for much of the latter half of the 1800s, the life of the common laborer was horrendous. Working in a unsanitary factory, for at least 10 hours a day, making far less than needed to survive, the struggles of the...
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Comission
Expore Pa History: Making Steel
A good look at three of the titans of the steel industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Read about Andrew Carnegie and his business relationship with Henry Clay Frick, and the development of Bethlehen Steel by Charles Schwab....