Skip to content

Samuel Gompers

Samuel Gompers

Names:Peter Aguirre,Chris Diaz,Michael Khaiyoum,johnathan sielinski,rhashaumba mobley,Brendan Tighe

Consider Gompers’ classrooms when answering each of the questions that follows.  Also think about how apprentices connect to the questions.

  1. In Gompers’ Autobiography, what apprenticeship skill did he learn?
    Answer:Some skills that were learned were to negotiate,public speaking,and organize within the labor movement to develop labor policies.
  2. Was it a difficult skill?  Why or why not?
    Answer:He felt obligated for his country so therefore it wasnt hard to develop the skill.
  3. Given the difficulty of the skill, what was he able to do during work?
    Answer:He was able to utilize wrappers and shave off unusable hairdbreath.
  4. What does he mean when he says, “mind-freedom”?
    Answer:Once you’re skilled enough in a craft it becomes second nature ,which left him free to think ,listen, or sing.
  5. What sort of relationships did he have with his fellow workers?
    Answer:During worktimes chose someone to read and after they finished reading they would discuss and learned alot about eachother.This in turn developed a fellowship between shopmates which lasted a lifetime.
  6. During WWI, Gompers stepped back on his labor demands.  What kinds of concessions did he make?
    • #1To improve work conditions
    • #2Wanted to increase production
    • #3Fought for labor wages and 8 hour standard
  7. What important goal did Gompers hope to achieve with these concessions?
    Answer:Argued for 8 hour days,safe working conditions,union wage standards,and collective agreements.Wanted to protect families of servicemen.
  8. What were some of the organizations Gompers presided over?
    • #1The Advisory Commisions of the Council of National Defense
    • #2American Federation of Labor
    • #3National War Labor Board
  9. In the speech at the end of the lesson, Gompers talks about “new relations.” Described what they are.
    Answer:The new relations are with nation to nation,Man to man,Not in general but in rule with everyday life.