The American Yawp Ch. 18

History Department

4 Apr 201506:36

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses the industrial revolution of the late 19th century, highlighting conflicts between the wealthy elite and workers. It describes the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and the rise of scientific management led by Frederick Taylor. Key figures like Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Morgan are mentioned, along with the theory of Social Darwinism. The struggles of workers and farmers, the formation of the American Federation of Labor, and the Populist Party's efforts to combat corporate dominance are also covered, leading to the Progressive movement's push for business regulation.

Takeaways

🚂 The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 saw violent confrontations between strikers and the National Guard.
💡 The late 19th century saw rapid industrial development in the United States, driven by electricity, mass production, and standardized parts.
📈 The rise of scientific management, led by Frederick Taylor, aimed to maximize worker efficiency through precise measurement and scripting of tasks.
💼 New business leaders like Collis Huntington, Cornelius Vanderbilt, J.D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan dominated their respective industries.
💰 By 1900, the wealthiest 10% of Americans controlled 90% of the nation's assets.
🧬 Social Darwinism, influenced by Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer, justified the social hierarchy by claiming the wealthy were the 'most fit.'
🚜 Farmers and workers felt increasingly undervalued and exploited, leading to strikes and the rise of labor unions like the American Federation of Labor.
🌾 The Farmer's Alliance evolved into the Populist Party, advocating for federal government intervention to support farmers and regulate industries.
🗣️ William Jennings Bryan's 1896 presidential campaign, known for his 'cross of gold' speech, represented the interests of farmers and workers.
🏛️ The Progressive movement emerged from the Populist influence, leading to government regulation of business to protect workers and farmers.

Q & A

What were the main conflicts during the late nineteenth century in the United States?
-The main conflicts were between the emerging wealthy class and the workers and farmers. This was characterized by violent confrontations between strikers and authorities such as police officers, soldiers, or paid guards.
How did the industrial development in the United States during this era affect the production capabilities of companies?
-The industrial development, marked by the advent of electricity, mass production through assembly lines, and the use of standardized parts, allowed companies to produce more goods more efficiently with fewer workers.
Who were some of the key figures in the rise of scientific management and what was their contribution?
-Frederick Taylor was a key figure who introduced principles of scientific management, which involved timing workers' actions, measuring their steps, and scripting their actions to maximize efficiency.
How did the United States' industrial production compare to the rest of the world by the early 20th century?
-By the turn of the 20th century, the United States manufactured more goods than any other nation and by 1913, it generated approximately one-third of the entire world's industrial production.
Which industries and individuals were particularly successful during this era of industrial growth?
-In railroads, Collis Huntington and Cornelius Vanderbilt were successful. J.D. Rockefeller dominated the oil industry, Andrew Carnegie the steel industry, and J.P. Morgan was prominent in banking.
What was the economic disparity between the top 10% and the rest of the population in America around 1900?
-By 1900, the top 10% of wealthy individuals in America controlled as much as 90% of the nation's assets, indicating a significant economic disparity.
How did the theory of Social Darwinism influence the societal views of the time?
-Social Darwinism, influenced by Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer, argued that the 'survival of the fittest' should apply to humans, with those at the top of the social order considered the most fit, justifying their success at the expense of others.
What were the working conditions like for workers during this period and why were they striking?
-Workers often worked 60-hour weeks with low wages and quality of life, facing dangerous working environments where efficiency was prioritized over safety, which led them to strike due to feeling undervalued.
What was the American Federation of Labor and how did it differ from the Knights of Labor?
-The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was a more moderate organization that rose after the Knights of Labor lost credibility. It was open only to white, male, skilled workers and did not advocate for collective ownership of factories.
How did farmers respond to their increasing dependence on railroads and banks?
-Farmers organized cooperatives known as the Farmer's Alliance and later evolved into the Populist Party, which aimed to represent farmers' interests and advocated for government regulation and support.
What were the main demands of the Populist Party during their 1892 national convention?
-The Populist Party demanded the nationalization of railroads and telegraph systems, government-managed warehouses that would loan money to farmers using crops as collateral, and the coinage of silver to create inflation to help farmers pay back debts.
Who was William Jennings Bryan and what was his stance during the 1896 Presidential election?
-William Jennings Bryan was a successful Populist candidate who ran for President in 1896. He was known for his fiery speech opposing the gold standard and advocating for the interests of laborers and the masses.
What was the outcome of the 1896 Presidential election and its implications for the future?
-The Republican candidate William McKinley won the election, campaigning on the gold standard and pro-business philosophies. However, the influence of the Populists would later contribute to the development of the Progressive movement, which focused on governmental regulation of business.

Outlines

00:00

⚔️ Industrial Conflicts and Social Inequality in the Late 19th Century

During the late nineteenth century, the United States experienced significant industrial conflicts as a result of rapid industrialization. This period saw violent confrontations between workers, who were striking for better conditions, and authorities such as police, soldiers, or paid guards. The era was marked by dramatic changes in industry, with innovations like electricity and mass production allowing for unprecedented efficiency and output. This benefited wealthy industrialists and managers, like Frederick Taylor, who championed scientific management. However, this progress came at the expense of workers who faced low wages, long hours, and unsafe working conditions. The theory of Social Darwinism emerged, justifying the social hierarchy and the immense wealth disparity. Strikes and labor movements, such as those led by the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor, highlighted the growing discontent among workers.

05:02

💡 The Populist Movement and William Jennings Bryan

The Populist Party emerged in the 1890s as a political force representing farmers who felt oppressed by railroad companies and banks. The party advocated for policies like the nationalization of railroads and telegraph systems and the coinage of silver to create inflation. William Jennings Bryan, a prominent Populist, ran for president in 1896 with a powerful speech denouncing the gold standard. Despite his compelling rhetoric, Bryan lost to Republican William McKinley, who supported business-friendly policies. Although the Populist Party's influence waned, its legacy lived on through the Progressive movement, which sought to regulate corporate power and protect workers and farmers from exploitation.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Great Railroad Strike of 1877

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 was a major labor uprising in the United States where workers protested wage cuts and poor working conditions. This event highlighted the growing tensions between labor and the emerging wealthy class, illustrating the broader conflict of the era. In the script, it is depicted as an example of violent confrontations between strikers and authorities.

💡Scientific Management

Scientific Management, developed by Frederick Taylor, involves analyzing and synthesizing workflows to improve economic efficiency, particularly labor productivity. This concept is key to understanding how industrial leaders sought to maximize efficiency and control production, often at the expense of worker welfare. The script mentions Taylor's principles of timing workers' actions to illustrate this.

💡Social Darwinism

Social Darwinism applies the concept of 'survival of the fittest' to human societies, justifying the success of the wealthy as a natural result of superior traits. This philosophy was used to rationalize the vast inequalities of the era. The script discusses how business leaders used this ideology to validate their dominance over the poorer working class.

💡American Federation of Labor (AFL)

The AFL was a national federation of labor unions in the United States, formed in 1886. It represented skilled workers and focused on immediate benefits like wages and working conditions rather than radical changes. The script contrasts the AFL with the more radical Knights of Labor, showing the AFL's more moderate approach to labor issues.

💡Populist Party

The Populist Party, or People's Party, emerged in the late 19th century to represent the interests of farmers and laborers. It called for reforms such as the nationalization of railroads and telegraphs. The script explains how the Populist Party evolved from the Farmer's Alliance and sought to challenge the power of the wealthy elites.

💡Industrialization

Industrialization refers to the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one. This era saw the rise of factories, mass production, and significant technological advances, which led to increased production efficiency. The script discusses the impacts of industrialization on the U.S. economy and labor force.

💡Knights of Labor

The Knights of Labor was a prominent labor organization in the late 19th century that advocated for broad social reforms and collective ownership of industries. It declined after being associated with the Haymarket Square bombing. The script contrasts their radicalism with the more conservative AFL.

💡William Jennings Bryan

William Jennings Bryan was a leading figure in the Populist and Democratic parties, known for his advocacy of free silver and opposition to the gold standard. He is famous for his 'Cross of Gold' speech, which the script highlights as a passionate appeal for economic justice for laborers and farmers.

💡Freight Rates

Freight rates refer to the charges applied by railroads for transporting goods. Farmers accused railroads of discriminatory pricing, charging higher rates in certain regions. This issue was a significant factor in the farmers' discontent and their subsequent organization into cooperatives and political movements, as discussed in the script.

💡Progressive Movement

The Progressive Movement emerged in the early 20th century as a response to the excesses of industrialization and corporate power. Progressives sought governmental regulation to protect workers and consumers. The script connects the influence of the Populist Party to the later achievements of the Progressive Movement.

Highlights

Late 19th century conflicts between wealthy class and workers/farmers depicted in the Maryland National Guard firing on Railroad Strike of 1877 participants.

Industry landscape changed with unprecedented development in the US, leading to violent confrontations between strikers and authorities.

Electricity and mass production through assembly lines and standardized parts allowed for more efficient production with fewer workers.

Wealthy elites benefited from new systems of production, leading to the emergence of a new class of efficiency-focused managers.

Frederick Taylor's scientific management principles emphasized timing workers' actions and scripting their steps for maximum efficiency.

The US became the top global economy by the 20th century, manufacturing more goods than any other nation.

By 1913, the US generated approximately 1/3 of the entire world's industrial production.

Rising business leaders like Collis Huntington, Cornelius Vanderbilt, J.D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan oversaw production and reaped efficiency benefits.

By 1900, the top 10% of wealthy individuals in America controlled as much as 90% of the nation's assets.

Social Darwinism emerged, arguing that 'survival of the fittest' should apply to humans, with those at the top of the social order considered the most fit.

Workers felt undervalued, working 60-hour weeks with low wages and quality of life, and facing dangerous working conditions.

After the Knights of Labor lost credibility, the American Federation of Labor rose, focusing on moderate plans and only including white, male, skilled workers.

Farmers, feeling their autonomy slipping away due to dependence on railroads and banks, organized cooperatives like the Farmer's Alliance.

The Populist Party emerged in the 1890s as a third party political force representing farmers' interests at various levels.

The Populist Party's 1892 national convention in Omaha, Nebraska, called for an expansion of federal government power.

They advocated for nationalization of railroads and telegraph systems, government-managed warehouses, and coinage of silver to create inflation to help indebted farmers.

William Jennings Bryan, a successful Populist candidate, delivered a fiery speech against a gold standard and for the interests of laboring masses.

Despite Bryan's speech, Republican candidate William McKinley won the 1896 election, maintaining a conservative path for the country.

The lasting influence of the Populists was seen in the development of the Progressive movement, which pioneered governmental regulation of the business sector in response to farmers' and workers' demands for protection from unchecked corporate interests.