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National Labor Union passes a resolution calling for an eight-hour work day.
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Illinois enacts the nation's first eight-hour law, but employers refuse to comply and the law is rendered meaningless.
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Albert Parsons becomes secretary of Chicago's Eight-Hour League.
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American laborers rally and lobby in support of an eight-hour work day with no reduction in pay. In Chicago, nearly 50,000 workers win such this concession from employers. The Chicago City Council, with the support of Mayor Harrison, approves an eight-hour work day for city employees.
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100,000 American workers go on strike in support of the eight-hour workday. The strike day ends peacefully in Chicago, where German anarchists toast their "Emancipation Day."
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Louis Lingg and William Seliger make 30 to 50 bombs. They later transport them to Nepf’s Hall....At 7:30 PM, a rally to protest the violent attack on demonstrators at McCormicks and support the eight-hour day begins at Haymarket in Chicago. At 8:15, August Spies arrives at the rally. At 8:30, Albert Parsons arrives at the meeting of the American Group. A half hour later, he begins speaking at the Haymarket. He speaks for about an hour, and then leaves for Zepf's Hall. Samuel Fielden begins
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Rudolph Schnaubelt is arrested.
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After an intense struggle with a police officer, Lingg is arrested.
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Grand jury is called.
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The Grand jury begins its examination of witnesses.
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Spies, Parson, Fielden, and Engel are hanged at noon.