HIS 151 - History of American Labor

Credits: 3
3 Lecture Hours

Description
This course surveys the history of work and the worker in the United States. It covers major events and developments in American labor history from 1877 to the present. Students explore key milestones and transformations in the labor movement and workforce.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will:

Describe the differences between the old and new labor history.
Define the origins of organized labor in America.
Compare and contrast public and private unions.
Explain the rise of industrialization and the changing relationship of big business, government and organized labor.
Explain the role of working-class institutions in workers’ lives.
Compare and contrast events, such as wars, that impacted workers’ lives.
Describe the relationship among race, class, ethnicity and gender in American labor history.
Assess the validity, bias and relevance of primary and secondary sources to construct well-supported historical arguments.

Listed Topics

Free, wage and contract labor
The farm-to-factory movement
Working-class culture
The emergence of organized labor in America
The Haymarket Square Riot, the Homestead Strike and the Pullman Strike
The Pittsburgh Survey
Progressivism and social reform
Taylorism and Welfare Capitalism
Workers during World War I and World War II
Organized labor in post-World War II America
Industrial decline in the twentieth century

Reference Materials
Current textbook, scholarly readings, films, maps and electronic resources as assigned

Students who successfully complete this course acquire general knowledge, skills and abilities that align with CCAC’s definition of an educated person. Specifically, this course fulfills these General Education Goals:

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Information Literacy

Approved By: Dr. Quintin B. Bullock Date Approved: 04/15/2025
Last Reviewed: 04/15/2025

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