US History MCQs

US Labor Movement MCQs with Answer

What event marked the beginning of the US labor movement?
a) Boston Tea Party
b) Haymarket Riot
c) Homestead Strike
d) Pullman Strike
Answer: b) Haymarket Riot

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded by:
a) Eugene V. Debs
b) John L. Lewis
c) Samuel Gompers
d) Mother Jones
Answer: c) Samuel Gompers

The term “scab” refers to:
a) A protective worker’s gear
b) A type of strike tactic
c) A replacement worker during a strike
d) A labor union organizer
Answer: c) A replacement worker during a strike

The Wagner Act of 1935 is also known as the:
a) Taft-Hartley Act
b) Norris-La Guardia Act
c) National Labor Relations Act
d) Landrum-Griffin Act
Answer: c) National Labor Relations Act

Which strike in 1894 led to the involvement of federal troops and highlighted tensions between labor and government?
a) Homestead Strike
b) Pullman Strike
c) Great Railroad Strike
d) Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Strike
Answer: b) Pullman Strike

The term “yellow-dog contract” refers to:
a) A type of employment contract that forbids union membership
b) A government-sponsored labor program
c) A labor strike organized by college students
d) A contract between employers and immigrant workers
Answer: a) A type of employment contract that forbids union membership

The International Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the “Wobblies,” advocated for:
a) Exclusive craft unionism
b) Radical industrial unionism
c) Nonviolent civil disobedience
d) Conservative labor practices
Answer: b) Radical industrial unionism

The “Bread and Roses” strike of 1912 was primarily organized by:
a) Coal miners
b) Textile workers
c) Railroad workers
d) Steelworkers
Answer: b) Textile workers

Which labor leader co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) and focused on improving conditions for agricultural workers?
a) Cesar Chavez
b) Eugene V. Debs
c) Mother Jones
d) John L. Lewis
Answer: a) Cesar Chavez

The “Little Steel” strike of 1937 involved clashes between workers and which steel companies?
a) US Steel and Bethlehem Steel
b) Republic Steel and Youngstown Sheet & Tube
c) Carnegie Steel and Inland Steel
d) Nucor and AK Steel
Answer: b) Republic Steel and Youngstown Sheet & Tube

The “sit-down strike” tactic involved:
a) Workers refusing to stand during work hours
b) Workers occupying their workplace to prevent production
c) Workers engaging in a silent protest outside their workplace
d) Workers marching through the streets to raise awareness
Answer: b) Workers occupying their workplace to prevent production

The landmark labor case “Schenck v. United States” dealt with:
a) Child labor laws
b) Labor union rights
c) Freedom of speech during wartime
d) Minimum wage regulations
Answer: c) Freedom of speech during wartime

The Pullman Strike of 1894 was centered in which industry?
a) Automobile manufacturing
b) Railroad sleeping car manufacturing
c) Textile manufacturing
d) Steel manufacturing
Answer: b) Railroad sleeping car manufacturing

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 led to increased awareness of:
a) Workplace safety and labor conditions
b) Income tax regulations
c) Immigration laws
d) Child labor laws
Answer: a) Workplace safety and labor conditions

Which labor union, founded by John L. Lewis, focused on organizing workers in the coal industry?
a) International Workers of the World (IWW)
b) United Auto Workers (UAW)
c) United Mine Workers (UMW)
d) Industrial Workers of America (IWA)
Answer: c) United Mine Workers (UMW)

The “Great Railroad Strike of 1877” began as a protest against:
a) Wage cuts by the railroad companies
b) Unsafe working conditions in mines
c) High taxes imposed on workers
d) Inadequate housing for railway employees
Answer: a) Wage cuts by the railroad companies

The “Haymarket Riot” of 1886 was a response to:
a) Police brutality against striking workers
b) A lockout initiated by factory owners
c) Violent clashes between rival labor unions
d) A bombing during a labor protest rally
Answer: d) A bombing during a labor protest rally

The “Homestead Strike” of 1892 occurred at a:
a) Coal mine
b) Textile mill
c) Steel plant
d) Meatpacking facility
Answer: c) Steel plant

Which labor leader was known for her involvement in organizing coal miners and advocating for children’s labor rights?
a) Samuel Gompers
b) Mary Harris “Mother” Jones
c) Terence Powderly
d) John L. Lewis
Answer: b) Mary Harris “Mother” Jones

The “Flint Sit-Down Strike” of 1936-1937 was primarily associated with which industry?
a) Automotive manufacturing
b) Steel manufacturing
c) Textile manufacturing
d) Coal mining
Answer: a) Automotive manufacturing

The “Women’s Trade Union League” focused on:
a) Organizing male factory workers
b) Promoting women’s suffrage
c) Improving working conditions for women
d) Supporting conservative labor policies
Answer: c) Improving working conditions for women

Which legislation, passed in 1947, imposed restrictions on union activities and aimed to curb the power of organized labor?
a) Wagner Act
b) Landrum-Griffin Act
c) Taft-Hartley Act
d) Norris-La Guardia Act
Answer: c) Taft-Hartley Act

The “Labor Day” holiday in the United States is celebrated on the first Monday of:
a) January
b) May
c) September
d) October
Answer: c) September

The “Button Gwinnett” was associated with which labor movement?
a) American Railway Union
b) Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
c) Knights of Labor
d) Western Federation of Miners
Answer: c) Knights of Labor

The “Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters,” led by A. Philip Randolph, focused on organizing workers in which industry?
a) Railroad
b) Textile
c) Automobile
d) Mining
Answer: a) Railroad

The “Steel Strike of 1919” was characterized by:
a) Violent clashes between police and strikers
b) A complete shutdown of steel production
c) Peaceful negotiations between workers and management
d) An extensive boycott of steel products
Answer: a) Violent clashes between police and strikers

The “United Farm Workers” (UFW) successfully organized workers in which agricultural sector?
a) Cotton
b) Citrus fruits
c) Dairy
d) Wheat
Answer: b) Citrus fruits

Which labor leader co-founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and focused on organizing skilled workers?
a) Eugene V. Debs
b) Mary Harris “Mother” Jones
c) Samuel Gompers
d) Cesar Chavez
Answer: c) Samuel Gompers

The “Coal Wars” of the early 20th century were primarily centered in which region of the United States?
a) Appalachia
b) Midwest
c) Southwest
d) Pacific Northwest
Answer: a) Appalachia

The “United Auto Workers” (UAW) union gained prominence by organizing workers in which industry?
a) Steel
b) Textile
c) Automobile
d) Coal mining
Answer: c) Automobile

The “Ludlow Massacre” of 1914 involved a deadly confrontation between workers and management in which industry?
a) Textile
b) Coal mining
c) Steel
d) Railroad
Answer: b) Coal mining

The “Brooklyn Streetcar Strike” of 1895 was notable for being led by which well-known labor leader?
a) Mary Harris “Mother” Jones
b) Eugene V. Debs
c) Terence Powderly
d) Samuel Gompers
Answer: d) Samuel Gompers

The “Danbury Hatters’ Case” of 1908 dealt with:
a) Child labor laws
b) Minimum wage regulations
c) Freedom of the press
d) Antitrust laws and union boycotts
Answer: d) Antitrust laws and union boycotts

The “Coal Miners’ Strike of 1902” was resolved with the intervention of which US President?
a) Theodore Roosevelt
b) Woodrow Wilson
c) Franklin D. Roosevelt
d) Herbert Hoover
Answer: a) Theodore Roosevelt

Which labor organization, founded by Terence Powderly, sought to improve working conditions and advocate for the eight-hour workday?
a) Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
b) American Federation of Labor (AFL)
c) Knights of Labor
d) United Mine Workers (UMW)
Answer: c) Knights of Labor

The “Bracero Program” of the mid-20th century was designed to address labor shortages in which industry?
a) Agriculture
b) Manufacturing
c) Mining
d) Construction
Answer: a) Agriculture

The “Great Sit-Down Strike of 1936-1937” at the General Motors (GM) plants contributed to the rise of which labor union?
a) United Auto Workers (UAW)
b) Teamsters
c) United Steelworkers (USW)
d) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Answer: a) United Auto Workers (UAW)

The “Pullman Strike” was a pivotal event in the history of the US labor movement. What industry was the strike centered around?
a) Automobile manufacturing
b) Steel manufacturing
c) Railroad sleeping car manufacturing
d) Textile manufacturing
Answer: c) Railroad sleeping car manufacturing

The “West Virginia Coal Wars” of the early 20th century were marked by significant labor conflicts in which industry?
a) Textile
b) Steel
c) Coal mining
d) Railroad
Answer: c) Coal mining

Which labor union, known for its inclusivity and acceptance of skilled and unskilled workers, played a significant role in the early 20th-century labor movement?
a) United Mine Workers (UMW)
b) American Federation of Labor (AFL)
c) Knights of Labor
d) Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
Answer: c) Knights of Labor

The “Battle of Blair Mountain” in 1921 was a result of clashes between coal miners and which group?
a) Law enforcement
b) Factory owners
c) Railroad workers
d) National Guard troops
Answer: d) National Guard troops

The “Big Bill” Haywood was a prominent labor leader associated with which labor organization?
a) American Federation of Labor (AFL)
b) Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
c) United Auto Workers (UAW)
d) United Mine Workers (UMW)
Answer: b) Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

The “Lowell Mill Girls” were known for their involvement in which industry during the early 19th century?
a) Textile manufacturing
b) Steel manufacturing
c) Coal mining
d) Agriculture
Answer: a) Textile manufacturing

The “Eastern Airlines Strike” of 1989 was significant as it marked a turning point in the use of:
a) Lockouts
b) Scabs
c) Sit-down strikes
d) Wildcat strikes
Answer: b) Scabs

The “United Farm Workers” (UFW) is known for its successful grape boycott, advocating for the rights of which group of workers?
a) Textile workers
b) Coal miners
c) Agricultural workers
d) Railroad workers
Answer: c) Agricultural workers

Which labor leader was known for his Socialist views and played a key role in the founding of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)?
a) Eugene V. Debs
b) Samuel Gompers
c) Mother Jones
d) “Big Bill” Haywood
Answer: d) “Big Bill” Haywood

The “Lawrence Textile Strike” of 1912, also known as the “Bread and Roses” strike, primarily involved workers in which industry?
a) Steel
b) Coal mining
c) Textiles
d) Agriculture
Answer: c) Textiles

The “Ford Hunger March” of 1932 involved clashes between unemployed workers and law enforcement in which city?
a) Detroit
b) Chicago
c) New York City
d) Los Angeles
Answer: a) Detroit

The “American Railway Union” (ARU), founded by Eugene V. Debs, gained prominence during which significant labor conflict?
a) Pullman Strike
b) Homestead Strike
c) Ludlow Massacre
d) Haymarket Riot
Answer: a) Pullman Strike

The “Fair Labor Standards Act” of 1938 introduced regulations related to:
a) Workplace safety
b) Collective bargaining rights
c) Child labor and minimum wage
d) Immigration policies
Answer: c) Child labor and minimum wage

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