How successful was the trade union movement in the post-Civil War era?

***A labor union was an organization of workers. The union would negotiate labor contracts with the employers that consists of wages, complaint procedures, work rules, firing and promotion of workers, etc. Many unions consist of people who were part of the union. They had authority to determine who could have membership and who could not. These unions were very selective with organizing workers yet for unions goals they were not very vivid with. The National Labor Union, Knights of Labor, American Federation of Labor, and the Industrial Workers of the World were the four major labor unions. The trade union movement in the post-Civil war era was limited on achieving its economic goals but yet successful on organizing its workers.
***The National Labor Union was the first national union in the United States. The union included many types of workers in 1834. The National labor union was destroyed and the Knights of Labor became the leading countrywide union in the 1860's. This union consist of Asian race, and included African Americans and women.
*** In 1869, the Knights of Labor was discovered in the United States. The people believed to give workers more free time, share of wealth and more benefits of society. They also opposed child labor and demand the eight hour day of work. They also tried to set up companies owned by the workers themselves. In 1884, the Knights went on strike when the railroads cut wages.
*** The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded by Samuel Gompers. By 1904, their membership had spread well over one million. The AFL was known to have that unionism quality with the help of Gompers's leadership. Work environment( well off wages), hours and working conditions were important demands but was not an immediate affect.
***The Industrial Workers of the World, also known as the (IWW), was founded in 1905, who symbolized unskilled workers. The IWW included radicals with a willing to challenge owners of factories and who had a revolutionary spirit. Ownership was considered a significant goal for them not increasing wages. The IWW were also known to be forceful and violet to achieve their goals.
***During and after the Civil War led tensions between the capitalists and their employees. The government was considered allied with their businesses which caused violet strikes. Some trade unions were based on race and skills and some more radical than others. The economic goals that many unions tried to accomplish were such as high wages and ownership by working class were not achieved in this era. Trade unions were generally successful in organizing employees but not achieving their goals.

Compare and Contrast Lincoln's, Johnson's and Radical Repub's Plan

*** The American Civil War was the first time when America's society split greatly.One historian even referred to the Civil War as the "crossroads of our being." This statement supports how the society began to become un-united and establish different ways to reconstruct its nation after the war. During this era, Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, and the Radical Republicans developed different beliefs on how the country should be ran. I would select Lincoln's Plan to best suit the nation because of the Emancipation Proclamation, 10% Plan and the ideological of perserving the union.
*** The Radical Republicans were Americans within the Republican Party. Which was lead by Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens. The Rad's opposed Lincoln's loose terms for reuniting the United States. Their terms demanded more aggressive status toward the war and more protection for the Freedmen.During this Reconstruction, the Radical Republicans believed too slow in freeing slaves and supporting their legal equality. They created the 50% plan which would divide the South into five military districts keep troops in the South. They also accepted to enforce the 14th and 15th amendments. The 14 states defined citizenship rights to all people and the 15 allowed African American males to vote. This was part of Lincoln's plan truly.
***On the other hand, Lincoln's Plan oppose the Radical Republicans beliefs tremendously. In 1863, Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves in states that were open rebellion. Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia were border states that was not involved in this proclamation. Lincoln also believed that slaves should be treated fairly and equally but he did not consider his self as an abolitionist.
***To add on to the differences of reconstructing, Andrew Johnson had a plan of his own. Johnson opposed Lincoln's plan by supporting the Black codes and Jim Crow's laws. Which were laws that placed limitation on the socioeconomic opportunities open to African American people. Grandfather Clause was one of the many ways African Americans were limited within the society. The clause stated that if your grandfather was an United States citizen before the war then that automatically makes you a citizen. Because of this, African Americans were not citizen because they were considered property and not a citizen to the country.
***Furthermore, Lincoln disliked Johnson's plan and decided to add on to his belief on preserving the Union. He created the 10% plan. With this plan, Lincoln wanted mild, no major punishments from this plan and just accept the 15th amendment so the nation can become united again.
***During the Civil War, the main idea of the United States was to have "Unity" but it disappeared. Many significant leaders, Lincoln, Johnson and Radical Repub's tried to stress their beliefs of how they wanted the States to be ran. With the 50% plan, Jim Crows laws and Grandfather Clause made Lincoln's plan out shined them all. Having the 13th, 14th ,and 15th amendments in the Constitution still to this day shows how Lincoln's Plan had a great impact on our nation.