Eight Hour Revolution Slides
Our History
The Eight-Hour
Revolution
How brave workers fought for the 8-hour workday, the 2-day weekend, and the Labor Day holiday we celebrate today!
Labor Day History • 5th Grade Lesson
Slide 1 of 9
Do Now: Warm-Up
Think & Share
Before We Begin: Answer These 2 Questions
1 Imagine the Schedule
Imagine you had to go to school for 14 hours every day, 6 days a week, with no weekend. How would you feel, and what would you miss doing?
Turn & talk with your partner.
2 What Does It Mean?
Every September, we get a day off for Labor Day. What do you think the word "labor" means, and why do workers deserve a national holiday?
Write or share your prediction.
Topic: Lesson Warm-Up
Slide 2 of 9
Key Vocabulary
Words to Know
Word 1
Labor
Hard physical or mental work. It also refers to workers as a collective group.
Word 2
Labor Union
An organized group of workers united to protect their rights, fair pay, and safety.
Word 3
Strike
A planned protest where employees stop working until conditions or wages improve.
Word 4
Leisure
Free time away from work used to rest, play, learn, and be with family.
Topic: Essential Terms • Copy into Notebooks
Slide 3 of 9
The Hard Work of the Past
Life in 1880
Work with No Rest
Long ago, there were very few laws to protect workers in America. Factories were busy, noisy, and dirty.
People worked almost all day and night just to buy food. There was no such thing as a "weekend" for most families!
How It Used to Be:
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•
12-Hour Workdays: People worked 12 to 14 hours a day, 6 days a week!
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Kids on the Job: Children as young as eight worked in dangerous coal mines and factories.
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No Safety Rules: It was very easy to get hurt, and there were no doctors at work.
Topic: Life Before Labor Laws
Slide 4 of 9
The Famous Song & Slogan
A Fair Split
What Workers Sang at Parades:
“
Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest,
eight hours for what we will!
”
This slogan means dividing the 24-hour day into three equal parts. Workers argued that they were human beings who needed time to learn, play, and spend time with family.
Topic: The 8-Hour Slogan
Slide 5 of 9
The First Labor Day
September 1882
A Parade to Show Strength
On September 5, 1882, more than 10,000 workers in New York City took a day off from work without pay.
They marched in a huge parade, had picnics, and made speeches to show the country how important workers are. This was the start of Labor Day!
Why is it a Holiday?
In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making Labor Day a national holiday. He wanted to thank the workers and celebrate their hard work.
When is it?
We celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday of September every single year!
Topic: How the Holiday Began
Slide 6 of 9
Winning the Battle
The 1938 Law
The Rules Become Law!
For over 50 years, workers had to strike and protest to get fair work hours. Some bosses agreed, but many did not.
Finally, in 1938, a historic law called the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed. It set rules that applied to the whole country!
3 Big Rules from 1938:
40-Hour Week: Bosses cannot make you work more than 40 hours a week without extra pay.
Minimum Wage: Bosses must pay a fair starting rate of money.
No Child Labor: Kids must go to school instead of working long factory jobs.
Topic: Making It Official
Slide 7 of 9
What We Have Today
The Legacy
Safe Work
Jobs must be safe. Bosses must provide safety gear, fresh air, and protective tools so nobody gets hurt on the job.
The Weekend
Saturday and Sunday are standard days off. We have the "weekend" because of the historic strikes of the 1800s!
Time to Live
Because workers don't have to work 14 hours a day, parents have time to play with their kids, read, rest, and enjoy life.
Topic: How the Past Helps Us Today
Slide 8 of 9
Let's Talk!
Class Discussion
What Do You Think?
1 Free Time Rules
The workers sang that they wanted "eight hours for what we will" (free time). What are your favorite things to do when you are not in school? Why is free time important?
2 Fairness
Why do you think the government had to make laws about child labor? Why is it better for children to go to school instead of working in factories?
Topic: 5th Grade Reflection
Slide 9 of 9
Eight Hour Revolution Worksheet
Student Investigation
The Labor Ledger
5th Grade Edition
NAME:
DATE:
What is Labor Day? In the late 1800s, there were no weekends or 8-hour workdays. Most parents worked 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week. Even kids had to work! To change this, workers had parades and strikes. Below is part of a speech from 1890 by Samuel Gompers, a famous leader who fought for workers' rights.
A speech from long ago
"What Does Labor Want?" — Samuel Gompers, 1890
"What does labor want? We want more schoolhouses and less jails; more books and less weapons; more learning and less trouble; more leisure and less greed...
The eight-hour workday is not for being lazy. It is a demand for life, for health, and for education. Having fewer work hours helps make people better parents, better workers, and better citizens."
• labor: workers or hard work
• leisure: free time to rest and play
• citizens: members of a community
• demand: a strong call for a rule
1. According to Samuel Gompers, what are two good things that children and parents will have more time to do if they have "leisure" (free time)?
2. Why does Gompers say the 8-hour workday is NOT for "being lazy"? Why do workers need that time?
EIGHT HOUR REVOLUTION INVESTIGATION PAGE 1 OF 2
Past Meets Present
Then and Now
5th Grade Activity
Activity 1: Matching the Problems & Rules
Look at the problems workers faced in the 1800s. Read the Word Bank of Modern Rules below. Write the correct letter (A, B, or C) in the matching box to show which modern rule solved each old problem!
Word Bank of Modern Rules
Rule A
The 40-Hour Work Week
Includes the 2-day weekend.
Rule B
OSHA Safety Rules
Bosses must keep workspaces safe.
Rule C
Child Labor Laws
Kids go to school, not factories.
Problem 1
Children as young as 8 worked late night shifts in dark coal mines and skipped school.
Match:
Problem 2
Factories were very dangerous, with open saws, dirty air, and no safety gear.
Match:
Problem 3
Bosses forced parents to work 14 hours a day, 6 days a week, with no weekend rest.
Eight Hour Revolution Spanish Worksheet
Investigación del Estudiante
El Diario Laboral
Edición de 5.º Grado
NOMBRE:
FECHA:
¿Qué es el Día del Trabajo? A finales del siglo XIX, no existían los fines de semana ni las jornadas de 8 horas. La mayoría de los padres trabajaban de 12 a 14 horas al día, seis días a la semana. ¡Incluso los niños tenían que trabajar! Para cambiar esto, los trabajadores organizaron desfiles y huelgas. A continuación se presenta parte de un discurso de 1890 de Samuel Gompers, un famoso líder que luchó por los derechos de los trabajadores.
Un discurso del pasado
"¿Qué quiere el trabajador?" — Samuel Gompers, 1890
"¿Qué quiere el trabajador? Queremos más escuelas y menos cárceles; más libros y menos armas; más aprendizaje y menos vicios; más tiempo libre y menos codicia...
La jornada laboral de ocho horas no es para ser perezosos. Es una demanda de vida, de salud y de educación. Tener menos horas de trabajo ayuda a que las personas sean mejores padres, mejores trabajadores y mejores ciudadanos."
• trabajo: los trabajadores o el esfuerzo
• tiempo libre: espacio para descansar y jugar
• ciudadanos: miembros de una comunidad
• demanda: un llamado fuerte para exigir algo
1. Según Samuel Gompers, ¿cuáles son dos cosas positivas que los niños y los padres tendrán más tiempo para hacer si tienen tiempo libre (ocio)?
2. ¿Por qué dice Gompers que la jornada de 8 horas NO es para "ser perezosos"? ¿Para qué necesitan ese tiempo los trabajadores?
INVESTIGACIÓN DE LA REVOLUCIÓN DE OCHO HORAS PÁGINA 1 DE 2
El pasado se encuentra con el presente
Antes y ahora
Actividad de 5.º Grado
Actividad 1: Relacionar los problemas y las reglas
Observa los problemas que enfrentaban los trabajadores en el siglo XIX. Lee el Banco de Reglas Modernas a continuación. Escribe la letra correcta (A, B o C) en la casilla correspondiente para mostrar qué regla moderna resolvió cada problema antiguo.
Banco de Reglas Modernas
Regla A
Semana de 40 Horas
Incluye el fin de semana de 2 días.
Regla B
Seguridad de OSHA
Patrones deben mantener áreas seguras.
Regla C
Leyes de Trabajo Infantil
Los niños van a la escuela.
Problema 1
Niños de tan solo 8 años trabajaban en turnos nocturnos en minas de carbón oscuras y no asistían a la escuela.
