At the Job Fair!

Background Information

Labor Day began from a parade and celebration held in 1882 by union workers in  New York to honor the working class. Giving in to social pressures at the time, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution in 1894 to designate the first Monday in September as "Labor Day" to keep the workers happy.

Today, Labor Day is observed in the U.S. as well as in many other countries. However, in the United States it is a general holiday, but in European countries, its roots in the working class remain much clearer.

In the U.S., Labor Day is celebrated more as the unofficial end of summer. In many areas of the U.S., summer season begins with Memorial Day and ends with Labor Day. Many universities, colleges, secondary, and elementary schools begin their classes immediately after Labor Day.

Banks, government offices, schools, and most businesses are closed on Labor Day. State parks, beaches, swimming pools, and campgrounds are very busy on Labor Day, when vacationers enjoy one last day of summer. Many people travel out of town for the last three-day weekend of summer.

Duration:  1 week  1 week   

Objectives:    Students will:  

• Understand the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a National Holiday. 
• Identify the influence of particular individuals on the events listed. 
• Locate the places which relate to these events. 
• Analyze the role of labor unions in the establishment of the Labor Day observance. 
• Evaluate the role of government in the establishment of this holiday.
• research Labor Day celebrations in other nations. 
• Compare and contrast labor movements in different parts of the world; at different times. 
• Synthesize the role of labor unions in American History, past and present.

Materials:   

Dial-A-Teacher web site.

Key Vocabulary:  American, builders, celebrate, garment, holiday, labor, movement, national, parade, picnic, tools, union, workers

Procedures:    

Introduce the following websites to your students.  These website will provide the information needed to complete assignments:

Labor Day Home Page

History of Labor Day

PBS The Origins of Labor Day
http://pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/september96/labor_day_9-2.html

May be assigned as group activities or as individual tasks at teacher's discretion.

1. Develop a time-line listing the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a national holiday.
2. Illustrate important locations related to the history of Labor Day on a map of the United States; a map of the world. What conclusions can you draw about these places and why they are important in the labor movement?
3. Research biographical data about the people who made Labor Day a reality. Illustrate their life and contributions through a written paper or a poster with pictures, time-line and a map of the places where that person lived and worked. Can one person make a difference? What made this person different or similar to you?
4. Hold a formal debate for or against organized labor in the present; the past; the Pullman strike.
5. Hold a formal debate for or against the role of government in industrialization and/or the labor movement.
6. Research the role of the Socialist and Communist parties in the labor movement, and the Labor Day observance in the United States and in other countries; then and now.
7. Use any and all of the above research to publish a newspaper dealing with labor issues; a pamphlet simulating activist literature of the time on both sides of the issue; a newspaper of the future dealing with labor issues.
8. Share activities which have worked for you.

Assessment:  

Group activities, presentations and projects may be evaluated by teachers and students using the following criteria and scale:

Content
Creativity
Clarity

1=Superior (A)
2=Excellent (B)
3=Good (C)
4=Fair (D)
5=Poor (F)

Home Learning:   

Occupations Collage Craft for Labor Day

Extension Activity:

Labor Day Scavenger Hunt

Answer Key