1) Based upon the circumstances at the time, were Rockefeller's business practices justified? How did other captains of industry (Carnegie, Morgan, Vanderbilt, etc.) conduct business in the late 19th century? What were the negative consequences of their actions? How did government and labor respond? Use these additional resources to help you complete the discussion question:
2) Read Samuel Gompers testimony before Congress regarding the AFL and the original platform of the Knights of Labor from the links below. What issues did labor unions attempt to resolve in the early 1900s? How successful were they at resolving these issues? Why was there such a struggle between business and labor, why was it so difficult for them to come together. Why were strikes so violent? (Not being recognized, the issues they were trying to resolve, etc.) How did labor unions improve the working conditions for American workers?
3) Read Samuel Gompers testimony before Congress regarding the AFL and the original platform of the Knights of Labor from the links below. What issues did labor unions attempt to resolve in the early 1900s? How successful were they at resolving these issues? Why was there such a struggle between business and labor, why was it so difficult for them to come together. Why were strikes so violent? (Not being recognized, the issues they were trying to resolve, etc.) How did labor unions improve the working conditions for American workers?
4) Why was the New Deal initiated? What problems did it address? What were some possible unintended consequences of the New Deal? Did the New Deal solve the problems it was designed to solve? Do you believe the legacy of the New Deal is a positive or negative? Explain.