Imagine you are standing on a street corner and everyone is excited and cheering. Marching bands go by, American flags are everywhere, and groups of people from different businesses wave as they march down the street. Later, you'll grill hamburgers and hot dogs in the backyard. You are celebrating Labor Day!
Labor Day is a holiday in the U.S. that celebrates the hard work and accomplishments of workers in America and how they helped make our country strong and successful.
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In the 1800s, many people worked very long hours in unsafe factories or mines and didn't make much money. Even young children about your age worked all day in these places and made even less money than the adults. Their job was much harder and more dangerous than the chores you do today, like cleaning your room and taking out the trash.
These workers joined unions, which were organized groups of workers created to look out for their members. Sometimes the union workers would hold marches and protests to complain about the bad conditions in which they worked and the low pay they received.
On September 5, 1882, union workers from many different trades took a day off and lost a day's pay to march in New York City to demand better pay, fewer hours, and safer working conditions. Trades are kinds of jobs.
Many stayed after the march to have a picnic and enjoy their day off with other families in the park where the march ended. This became the first unofficial Labor Day parade.
This celebration of workers became more popular in other parts of the United States every year. In 1887, Oregon was the first state to pass a law making Labor Day a holiday.
Just like playing 'Follow the Leader', other states like Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York also began passing laws in 1887 recognizing Labor Day as a holiday.
In 1894, Congress passed an act that made Labor Day a national holiday that would be held on the first Monday of September every year to celebrate American workers. Some say the September date was chosen because it falls between the 4th of July and Thanksgiving, though the day itself wasn't chosen for any special reason.
Just like some people can't agree on who invented pizza, there is disagreement about who really came up with the idea for Labor Day. Some say it was Peter McGuire, who was a carpenter. He was a union leader for the Brotherhood of Carpenters.
Others say it was Matthew McGuire, who was a machinist. He was a local union leader for the International Association of Machinists. There are historical records to support both men as the father of the Labor Day idea, but we may never know for sure which McGuire should get the credit for this holiday.
Labor Day is a U.S. holiday in September that celebrates the work and accomplishments of American workers who made our country strong. Working conditions and pay were bad back then, and many workers joined unions, organized groups of workers created to look out for their members, who marched and protested for better conditions. In 1882, union workers from different trades, or kinds of jobs, marched in New York, which was the first Labor Day parade that eventually turned into the national holiday that we still celebrate today.
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In your own words, provide the definitions of the terms that are in bold from the lesson (Labor Day, unions, trades). Each definition should be one to two sentences long.
Example: Labor Day is a holiday to celebrate American workers.
In one paragraph, write an essay that describes what working conditions were like in the 1800s.
Example: During the 1800s, workers were not paid very much money for their jobs.
Write an essay of one paragraph that explains what unions were doing in the 1800s to help workers, and how union activities led to the first Labor Day. Also answer the following question in your essay: What was the first unofficial Labor Day like?
Example: The first unofficial Labor Day began with a march of many different workers.
Make a list of the five states that made Labor Day a holiday in 1887. The first state on your list should be the first state that made Labor Day a holiday. At the bottom of your list, note the year that the government made Labor Day a federal holiday. You can refer to the lesson, but try to recall as much information as you can from memory.
Example: New York City.
Make a chart, poster, or some other type of graphic organizer that lists and briefly describes the two men who are thought to have invented Labor Day.
Example: Peter McGuire was a carpenter who belonged to a union.
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