The United States was becoming an industrial power in the world during the late 1800's. Many factories began to rise around the country in the late 1800's. As a result of this cities began to expand around these factories. During the time period of 1860 and 1910 metropolitan area populations grew from about six million to 44 million. At a fast rate the United States was loosing it agricultural roots. The reason many factories and American industrialism grew was because of the American and immigrant work force. Workers during the gilded age into the progressive age were not being treated well from theire employees. During this time many workers worked for low wages, many hours and unsafe working conditions. Many workers were angry at their employers, so they began to form labor unions and organizations where workers fought to win certain rights from their employers. As workers moved from rural areas to the cities, workers had to compete for better paying jobs.
Henry C. Frick
The Great Seal of the Knights of Labor
Eugene Debs (front right), Martin J. Elliott (cent...As workers started to organize they made some good things happen in there early history, although these things did not bring much success to many workers in the long run.
During the late 1800's many Americans worked at jobs that required little skill or no skill at all. Their jobs were tedious and very boring because they would do the same task almost everyday for how long they worked. Workers usually worked long hours six days a week and in some cases they worked seven days a week. Making a living during this time was difficult if you were a worker because you only made about $500 dollars a year. Also workers had to work extremely well at there jobs or they would be replaced by thousands of other Americans and immigrants that desperately needed jobs during this...