Haymarket+Riot+of+1886

Haymarket Riot of 1886

**The Problems**  Prior strikes in the Chicago area had caused resentment when police were sent in to break up the riots, occasionally ending in violence. Many workers lived in poverty, facing ten-hour workdays with very little pay. Such issues caused tensions between classes, especially between rich Americans who had profited greatly from capitalism and foreign immigrants who lived a harsh life. Many of the new immigrants also carried socialist or anarchist beliefs, and had been organizing to overthrow the U.S. government. The theory of "propaganda of the deed", in which violence is used as a form of protest, became a central method, and the bombing of buildings and murder of police officers was called for.

**Strike!**  On May 1st, two workers had been fired from the McCormick reaping factory, and were killed by police when they confronted their replacements. Three days later, nearly 3,000 workers gathered at Haymarket Square, outside the factory, to the murders. Police were sent in to break up the rally, initially firing warning shots into the air. Suddenly, a bomb went off in the crowd of police, inciting a fight across the square. Most protesters, who had been hoping for a peaceful rally, were unprepared, and dispersed from Haymarket Square as the police fired into the crowd. Seven police officers and 11 protesters were killed, and up to a hundred workers were wounded. 

"McCormic's Reaper"

**Public Reaction** The city was divided on opinions about the incident. Many considered the event to be another example of police brutality, and were outraged at the event. Others, however, blamed anarchists for starting the violence, and persecution of anarchists and socialists was only increased. The labor movement also gained criticism, as it was now seen as a breeding ground for political dissidents. 

"Police Brutality"

**Immediate effects**  Immediately following the Haymarket Riot, eight men were charged of conspiracy and murder. They were charged because they looked suspicious and had foreign last names. All were found guilty and sentenced to hang. Four of them were executed, while one committed suicide in his jail cell. The remaining three were pardoned in 1893 by the Governor of Illinois, John Altgeld, who did not believe that the eight men had received a fair trial.  "John Peter Altgeld-the pardoner"

The Haymarket Riot severely damaged the reputation of anarchists and socialists in America, and lead to lasting mistrust of the political systems. The arrest of eight men, with accusations based on their foreign backgrounds, showed the ineffectiveness of the American justice system.
 * Long Term Effects**

 "Unjust Accusations" ** Resources: ** ABC-Clio:

Primary: John Peter Altgeld: Pardon of the Haymarket anarchists (1893)." //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 12 May 2011.

Primary: Haymarket Square riot." Image. Library of Congress. //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 12 May 2011.

Book: Kogan R. Bernard. __The Chicago Haymarket Riot: Anarchy on Trail.__United States, D.C Heath and Company, 1959.

Websites: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=227 http://dig.lib.niu.edu/gildedage/haymarket/index.html http://www.chicagohs.org/dramas/overview/over.htm

Pictography: McCormic's Reaper: "McCormick's reaper." Image. Parsons, J. Russell, et al. //Memorial of Robert McCormick,//1885. //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 15 May 2011. Police Brutality: "Haymarket Square riot." Image. Library of Congress. //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 15 May 2011. "John Peter Altgeld." Image. Library of Congress. //American History//. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 15 May 2011. Unjust accusations: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://patentlawcenter.pli.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Judges-gavel.gif&imgrefurl=http://patentlawcenter.pli.edu/2010/12/01/the-federal-circuit-issues-writ-of-mandamus-to-transfer-patent-suit/judges-gavel/&h=301&w=510&sz=92&tbnid=ZC3X7bG2V4lU_M:&tbnh=77&tbnw=131&prev=/search%3Fq%3Djudges%2Bgavel%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=judges+gavel&usg=__76vu7ayNMciWUl4CUFnbk8yEsBs=&sa=X&ei=fI3QTYWOKsLogQev2Y3JDA&ved=0CGUQ9QEwBQ