Sound Smart: The Haymarket Square Riot | History

00:02:08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT_ZWCB_1cM

Summary

TLDRThe Haymarket Square riot of 1886 was a significant event rooted in labor unrest, primarily focused on workers' rights, including length of workdays and conditions. The riot followed a police killing of workers, leading to a rally at Haymarket Square, where a bomb was thrown during police intervention, resulting in casualties. Eight men were arrested and tried under controversial circumstances, with four executed, leading to public outrage and transforming them into symbols of labor struggles.

Takeaways

  • 📅 **Historical Context**: Originated from labor unrest after the Civil War.
  • ⚖️ **Protests**: Focused on workdays and working conditions.
  • 💣 **Violent Incident**: A bomb was thrown during a labor rally in 1886.
  • 👮 **Police Clash**: Several were killed by police, escalating tensions.
  • 🧑‍⚖️ **Trials**: Eight men were convicted with minimal evidence.
  • ⚔️ **Public Backlash**: Led to the pardoning of two convicted men.
  • 🌍 **Symbolism**: Executed men became symbols of the labor struggle.
  • ✊ **Radical Influence**: Increasing influence of radical labor ideas at the time.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:02:08

    The Haymarket Square riot of 1886 was rooted in labor unrest from the post-Civil War era, focusing on workday lengths and conditions. Influenced by radical voices, the labor movement sought not just reform but the end of capitalism. Following police violence on May 3, 1886, a rally at Haymarket Square turned violent when a bomb was thrown, resulting in casualties among cops and civilians. Despite no solid evidence, eight radicals were arrested and convicted; four were executed in 1887, becoming symbols of the labor struggle. The protests ignited significant backlash and activism, which led to the rise of radical groups like the Red Guards, who were known for violent tactics against political opponents.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What triggered the Haymarket Square riot?

    The riot was triggered by labor unrest and police violence against workers protesting for better working conditions.

  • When did the Haymarket Square riot occur?

    The riot occurred on May 4, 1886.

  • What was the outcome of the trial for the men arrested after the riot?

    Eight men were convicted; four were executed, one committed suicide, and two were pardoned.

  • Why did the public backlash occur?

    The public backlash occurred due to the unfair treatment of the defendants during the trial.

  • What did the executed men symbolize?

    They became international symbols of the struggle for fair labor practices.

View more video summaries

Get instant access to free YouTube video summaries powered by AI!
Subtitles
en
Auto Scroll:
  • 00:00:00
    hi I'm yuru Williams I'm a historian and
  • 00:00:03
    here's what you need to know in order to
  • 00:00:04
    sound smart about the Hay Market Square
  • 00:00:06
    riot the Hay Market Square riot of 1886
  • 00:00:09
    had its Origins and labor unrest that
  • 00:00:11
    extended back to the decades after the
  • 00:00:13
    Civil War American laborers were
  • 00:00:15
    particularly concerned about issues
  • 00:00:17
    including the length of the workday and
  • 00:00:19
    working conditions the American labor
  • 00:00:21
    movement at that time was also being
  • 00:00:23
    influenced by more radical voices many
  • 00:00:25
    of these individuals believed that not
  • 00:00:27
    only should working conditions be
  • 00:00:29
    improved but that the entire
  • 00:00:31
    capitalistic Enterprise be smashed on
  • 00:00:34
    May 3rd 1886 several workers were killed
  • 00:00:37
    by police and a showdown at the
  • 00:00:39
    McCormick Reaper plant in Chicago labor
  • 00:00:42
    organizers called for a mass meeting and
  • 00:00:44
    rally the following night at Hay Market
  • 00:00:46
    Square after one speaker Samuel Feldon
  • 00:00:49
    made a particularly inflammatory
  • 00:00:51
    statement police moved in to shut down
  • 00:00:53
    the rally as they were moving toward the
  • 00:00:56
    stage however an unknown person tossed a
  • 00:00:58
    bomb in their midst in the ensuing
  • 00:01:01
    violence seven police officers were
  • 00:01:03
    killed and as many as five civilians
  • 00:01:05
    wounded in the absence of any real
  • 00:01:07
    suspects authorities turned their
  • 00:01:09
    attention to the more radical influences
  • 00:01:12
    in the labor movement despite the lack
  • 00:01:14
    of any tangible evidence eight men were
  • 00:01:16
    eventually arrested and put on trial all
  • 00:01:19
    eight were convicted in the end four of
  • 00:01:22
    those convicted were executed on
  • 00:01:25
    November 11th 1887 of the three
  • 00:01:28
    remaining who had been convicted one
  • 00:01:30
    committed suicide and the other two were
  • 00:01:32
    ultimately pardoned by the governor of
  • 00:01:34
    Illinois due to a public backlash
  • 00:01:36
    against the unfair way in which the
  • 00:01:39
    defendants had been treated the for men
  • 00:01:41
    who were executed in 1887 became
  • 00:01:44
    International symbols of the struggle
  • 00:01:46
    between capital and labor and the fight
  • 00:01:48
    to ensure Fair Labor practices for all
  • 00:01:51
    workers young people in large numbers
  • 00:01:54
    came out and joined what became known as
  • 00:01:56
    the red guards these largely terroristic
  • 00:01:59
    organizations
  • 00:02:00
    were used to publicly humiliate assault
  • 00:02:03
    and in some cases even murder political
  • 00:02:05
    enemies of ma and the Communist Party
Tags
  • Haymarket Square
  • riot
  • labor unrest
  • 1886
  • workers rights
  • police violence
  • trial
  • executed
  • capitalism
  • labor movement