Political Corruption

Business wasn't the only way to get rich in the late 19th century—there was also politics. The Tweed Ring, a group of corrupt New York City officials led by William March Tweed (1823-1878), is believed to have stolen anywhere from $40 million to $200 million in public funds. Many of these men saw no wrong in what they did. One of Tweed's cohorts, George Washington Plunkett, explained his form of "honest graft" to a journalist as follows: "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em .. . I'm tipped off, say, that they are going to lay out a new park at a certain place ... . I go to that place and I buy up all the land I can and then there is a rush to get my land. Ain't it perfectly honest to charge a good price and make a profit on my investment and foresight? Of course, it is. Well, that's honest graft."

Do you agree that there is such a thing as "honest graft"? Do you think politicians should be allowed to profit from insider information?

Child Labor

Mary Harris Jones, also called Mother Jones, was a well-known union organizer at the turn of the century. In 1903, she led a "March of the Mill Children" from Philadelphia to New York City. The young workers carried placards that read, "We want to go to school," and "We want time to play." As a result of the march,Pennsylvania made child labor illegal.

Why do you think children were sent to work in the first place? How do you think children and families felt when child labor laws were passed? Why might these laws have been viewed as a mixed blessing? What do you think could have been done to make child labor unnecessary?

Dangerous Working Conditions

On January 10, 1860, there was a terrible accident at Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Seventy-seven people— mostly girls less than 12 years old—died when the building collapsed on them. The
victims' families were given very little compensation. One observer called it "the respectable millionaire homicide."

Do you think rich people are held to a different set of laws than other people?Explain.

Haymarket Square Strike

On May 3, 1886, police fired into a crowd of striking workers at McCormick Reaper Company in Chicago, killing four people. The strikers held a protest rally the next day at Haymarket Square. A bomb exploded during the rally and killed seven police officers. The rally's organizers were quickly arrested and convicted, despite the fact that the actual bomber was never identified. Four men were hanged and three were jailed. Illinois governor John Peter Altgeld (1847-1902) pardoned the three survivors in 1893, a move that ruined his political career.

Do you think the organizers of the rally should have been convicted? What do you think of Governor Altgeld? Would you have done as he did and pardoned the survivors? Would you have done so even if you knew it would cost you your career? Have you ever had to make a decision where doing what was right would hurt you in some way? Explain.

Labor Unions

In the late 19th century, most working people suffered long hours, low pay, and hazardous conditions at the hands of their employers. Despite these conditions,many refused to join labor unions that had been organized to light for better treatment of workers. They feared they would lose their jobs, as employers often found some reason to fire such "troublemakers." Imagine you're working in a cotton mill or a coal mine in the late 19th century.Your family needs your income to help put food on the table and keep the roof over your heads, but you work long hours in dangerous conditions. You work 14 hours a day, six days a week, and
have seen co-workers lose lives and limbs on the job.
What would you do if someone asked you to join a labor union to fight for better working conditions? Would you join, even if it meant you might lose your job? Or would you refuse to join, and accept your employers unreasonable demands?

Andrew Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth"

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) made a fortune in the steel industry and went on to give a good deal of it away. In an 1889 speech, "The Gospel of Wealth," Carnegie proclaimed that the rich had a responsibility to use their money to help others. He said, "The man who dies . . . rich dies disgraced."
Do you agree with Carnegie that the rich have an obligation to help others? Explain your reasons. If you had millions of dollars, what would you do with it? Would you feel you should help others less fortunate than you? Give reasons for your answer.

Monopoly

A monopoly is a company or group of companies that controls the supply of a product or a service. In the late 1800's, individuals such as John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) and J. P Morgan (1837-1913) established large monopolies that came to be known as trusts.Imagine there is only one company that makes blue jeans. How do you think that would affect the price, supply, and variety of blue jeans available? Do you think that any monopolies exist today? If so, what, if anything, should be done about them?

Robber Barons

In the late 1800s, many men made fortunes by taking unfair advantage of natural resources, cheap labor, or their influence over the government to build up their businesses. These men became known as robber barons.
What do you think would drive a person to become a so-called robber baron? Do you think the way such people run their businesses is wrong? Do you think there are robber barons today? Why? Why not?