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Lesson 1: The Rise of Industry — Practice Questions

  1. 1. Who was the founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)?

    • A. Eugene V. Debs
    • B. Samuel Gompers
    • C. Andrew Carnegie
    • D. Terence V. Powderly
  2. 2. Which of the following best describes the main goals of the AFL under Samuel Gompers?

    • A. Radical political revolution and government ownership of factories
    • B. Practical improvements such as higher wages and safer conditions
    • C. The abolition of all private corporations
    • D. Establishing a nationwide system of worker-owned cooperatives
  3. 3. What were the two main tactics used by the AFL to achieve its objectives?

    • A. Political lobbying and running for office
    • B. Public protests and widespread boycotts
    • C. Strikes and collective bargaining
    • D. Sabotage and factory seizures
  4. 4. How did the AFL's focus on skilled workers give it an advantage in negotiations?

    • A. Skilled workers were paid less and were therefore more motivated to strike.
    • B. There were more skilled workers than unskilled workers in the country.
    • C. Skilled workers were more difficult for employers to replace during a strike.
    • D. Skilled workers were legally given more rights to unionize than other workers.
  5. 5. What was the primary reason the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was established?

    • A. To overthrow the capitalist system in the United States
    • B. To create a single, large union for all industrial and agricultural workers
    • C. To give individual workers more collective power as large corporations grew
    • D. To directly fund political candidates for national office
  6. 6. The protest at Haymarket Square in 1886, which preceded the riot, was organized primarily to advocate for what specific labor reform?

    • A. An increase in the minimum wage for factory workers
    • B. The establishment of an eight-hour workday
    • C. The right to collective bargaining for all industries
    • D. Improved safety regulations in industrial workplaces
  7. 7. The Haymarket Riot, a pivotal event in American labor history, occurred in which city in 1886?

    • A. New York City
    • B. Pittsburgh
    • C. Chicago
    • D. Boston
  8. 8. How did employers respond to labor activism in the wake of the Haymarket Riot?

    • A. They became more willing to negotiate with union leaders to avoid conflict.
    • B. They increased their use of harsh measures to suppress strikes.
    • C. They sought government intervention to mediate labor disputes peacefully.
    • D. They offered workers an eight-hour day to prevent future protests.
  9. 9. While radical anarchists were officially blamed for the bombing at Haymarket Square, the public's negative reaction was directed more broadly toward whom?

    • A. The Chicago police department
    • B. The entire labor movement
    • C. The owners of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company
    • D. Recent immigrant communities in Chicago
  10. 10. What specific act of violence occurred during the 1886 protest in Haymarket Square that led to the deaths of police officers?

    • A. The arrival of federal troops who fired on the crowd
    • B. A speech given by a radical leader calling for revolution
    • C. The explosion of a bomb
    • D. A fire that broke out in a nearby factory building