Pullman Strike AP US History Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🚂 Background: The Pullman Palace Car Company, owned by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars. He also built a company town for his workers near Chicago.
• 📉 The Crisis: During the economic depression of 1893, Pullman cut wages significantly but did not reduce rent or prices in the company town. This caused immense hardship for workers.
• ✊ The Strike: In May 1894, workers at the Pullman plant went on strike. The American Railway Union (ARU), led by Eugene V. Debs, supported the strike by refusing to handle Pullman cars.
• 💥 Federal Intervention: The railroad owners appealed to President Grover Cleveland, who sent in federal troops to break the strike, arguing that it was disrupting mail delivery.
• ⚖️ Court Injunction: A federal court issued an injunction against the ARU, ordering them to stop the boycott. Debs refused and was arrested for violating the injunction.
• 📜 Outcome: The strike was crushed, and Debs's imprisonment effectively ended the ARU's power. The Supreme Court upheld Debs's prison sentence, solidifying the power of injunctions against labor unions. The Pullman Strike highlighted the government's pro-business stance at the time.
• 🗓️ Significance: The strike led to increased awareness of labor issues and contributed to the rise of the Socialist Party of America. Labor Day was established as a federal holiday in the wake of the strike to appease workers.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following was a primary cause of the Pullman Strike?
   1. A) Increased wages for Pullman workers
   2. B) Decreased rents in the Pullman company town
   3. C) Wage cuts without corresponding reductions in rent and prices
   4. D) Improved working conditions at the Pullman factory
2. Who was the leader of the American Railway Union (ARU) during the Pullman Strike?
   1. A) Samuel Gompers
   2. B) Terence V. Powderly
   3. C) Eugene V. Debs
   4. D) George Pullman
3. What action did President Grover Cleveland take in response to the Pullman Strike?
   1. A) He sided with the workers and pressured Pullman to negotiate.
   2. B) He remained neutral and allowed the strike to run its course.
   3. C) He sent in federal troops to break the strike.
   4. D) He mediated a settlement between Pullman and the ARU.
4. What was the primary legal tool used to suppress the Pullman Strike?
   1. A) The Sherman Antitrust Act
   2. B) A court injunction
   3. C) State labor laws
   4. D) Federal arbitration
5. What was the outcome of Eugene V. Debs's involvement in the Pullman Strike?
   1. A) He successfully negotiated better terms for Pullman workers.
   2. B) He was elected to Congress.
   3. C) He was imprisoned for violating a court injunction.
   4. D) He became the president of the American Federation of Labor.
6. What was the significance of the Pullman Strike in relation to labor relations in the United States?
   1. A) It led to a strengthening of labor unions' power and influence.
   2. B) It demonstrated the government's willingness to intervene on the side of business.
   3. C) It resulted in the immediate passage of pro-labor legislation.
   4. D) It marked the end of organized labor activity in the late 19th century.
7. Which holiday was established in part as a result of the Pullman Strike and broader labor unrest?
   1. A) Memorial Day
   2. B) Independence Day
   3. C) Labor Day
   4. D) Thanksgiving