AP Success - AP US History: Analyzing the Pullman Strike of 1894
The Chicago Sun Times: May 12, 1894"PULLMAN MEN OUT Nearly 4,000 Throw Down Their Tools and Quit Refuse to Work Till Wrongs are Righted Firing Three Men Starts It Almost the entire force of men employed in the Pullman shops went out on strike yesterday. Out of the 4,800 men and women employed in the various departments there were probably not over 800 at work at 6 o’clock last evening. The immediate cause of the strike was the laying off of three men in the iron machine shop. The real but remote cause is the question of wages over which the men have long been unhappy. The strike of yesterday was ordered by a committee representing every department at the Pullman works... The position of the company is that no increase in wages is possible under the present conditions. The position of the men is that they are receiving less than a living wage, to which they are entitled."
Question 1
What was the immediate cause of the Pullman strike according to the Chicago Sun Times article?
The death of a worker due to an industrial accident.
A demand for better working conditions.
The laying off of three men in the iron machine shop.
A violent confrontation between workers and management.
Question 2
According to the source, what was the underlying issue that led to the Pullman strike?
The demand for shorter working hours.
The question of wages over which the men have long been unhappy.
The refusal to recognize labor unions.
Disagreements over worker safety regulations.
Question 3
What does the source suggest about the economic conditions at the time of the Pullman strike?
The company was planning to expand and hire more workers.
The workers were receiving wages well above the industry standard.
The economy was booming, leading to high wages for workers.
The company claimed that no increase in wages was possible under the present conditions.
Question 4
How does the source characterize the scale of the Pullman strike?
A nationwide strike that included multiple industries.
A small, localized strike involving only a few departments.
A peaceful protest that did not significantly disrupt operations.
Almost the entire force of men employed in the Pullman shops went out on strike.
Question 5
What does the source indicate about the workers' perspective on the strike?
The workers were striking in solidarity with another industry's labor dispute.
The workers were protesting the use of child labor in the Pullman shops.
The workers were primarily concerned with electing sympathetic politicians.
The workers believed they were entitled to a living wage.
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