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Edwin L Drake successfully used a steam engine to drill for oil near Titusville Pennsylvania in 1859.
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The first large scale national union of laborers was formed by an iron worker by the name of William H. Sylvis in 1866. By 1868 the unions membership exponentially grew to 640,000 members.
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On May 10, 1869, the central pacific and union pacific railroads met at Promontory, Utah, thus creating the transcontinental railroad.
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Thomas Edison Established the first research lab world wide in Menlo park, New Jersey. There he perfected the incandescent light bulb, as well as invented a system for producing and distributing electrical power.
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The supreme court ruled, in a vote of seven to two, that the Granger laws were to be upheld. Meaning, that the states could now regulate the railroads to benefit both farmers and consumers.
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In July of 1877, workers from the Baltimore and Ohio railroad we on strike in order to protest their second wage cut in two months. most freight and passenger traffic was halted for more than a week.
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◦The supreme court ruled that a state could not set rates on interstate commerce. ( Railroad that was either coming from, or going to another state.)
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◦in response to public outrage, referring to the supreme court ruling of 1886, the federal government passed the interstate commerce act. This act, once again,gave the federal government the ability to supervise railroad activities. The government then created a five member interstate commerce commission for that purpose.
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John Sherman, an Ohio republican had the Sherman antitrust act passed by the house. This act was designed to “prevent the artificial raising of prices by restriction of trade or supply.”
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◦Pauline Newman, at just 16 years of age, became the first female organizer of the international ladies garment workers union (ILGWU) in 1909.
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◦Patillo Higgins insisted there was oil at spindletop lake, but only had one believer. Anthony F. Lucas invested in Higgins and the drilling began. on January 10, 1901 Patillo struck oil and oil began erupting from the underground well.
