I. Introduction

• •American workers and industrialization: first reactions
• •Powderly and idealistic unionization
• •Gompers and craft unions
• •Who would speak for unskilled workers?



• •Industrialization and American workers (1840s-1890s)



• •European vs. American solutions
• •European socialism and class warfare
• •American faith in social mobility and small town values

II. Terence Powderly

• •Youth



• •Knights of Labor (1874)
• •President (1879)



• •Program of Knights of Labor



• •Success to 1884



• •Haymarket bombing (1886)

III. Samuel Gompers

• •Youth



• •Immigrated to U.S. (1863)



• •Cigar Makers' Union (18641886)



• •American Federation of Labor [AF of L] (1886)
• •Union policies
• •Political influence

IV. Conclusion

• •Differences between Knights of Labor and AF of L
• •American small town tradition vs. modified European tradition
• •Knights too inclusive
• •But AF of L too exclusive



• •Who will speak for unskilled workers?