In which year was Labor Day officially declared a federal holiday in the United States?
1884
1887
1894
1899
President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law as a federal holiday in 1894, following growing pressure from the labor movement and widespread worker strikes.
Which labor organization first proposed the idea of a ‘workingman’s holiday’ in America?
Knights of Labor
AFL-CIO
United Auto Workers
Teamsters Union
The Knights of Labor, one of the most important labor organizations of the 19th century, organized the first Labor Day parade in New York City in 1882.
Which city held the first Labor Day parade in American history?
Chicago
Boston
Philadelphia
New York City
The first Labor Day parade was held in New York City on September 5, 1882, with 10,000 workers taking unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square.
How many workers participated in America’s first Labor Day parade?
5000
10000
15000
20000
Approximately 10,000 workers marched in the first Labor Day parade, despite risking their jobs by taking the day off without permission.
Which state was the first to make Labor Day a legal holiday?
New York
Oregon
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day an official public holiday in 1887, seven years before it became a federal holiday.
What tragic event helped lead to the creation of Labor Day as a federal holiday?
Boston Tea Party
Pullman Strike
Great Depression
Civil War
The violent Pullman Strike of 1894, which resulted in 30 deaths, prompted President Cleveland to make Labor Day a federal holiday as a gesture of reconciliation.
What month was originally proposed for Labor Day celebrations?
May
June
July
September
May 1st (May Day) was initially proposed, but September was chosen to distance the American holiday from the more radical international labor movement.
Which famous union leader helped organize the first Labor Day parade?
Peter McGuire
Samuel Gompers
Eugene Debs
John L. Lewis
Peter McGuire, founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, is often credited with proposing the idea of Labor Day and organizing the first parade.
What was the average workday length when Labor Day was created?
8 hours
10 hours
12 hours
14 hours
When Labor Day was established, the average American worked 12-hour days, seven days a week, often in unsafe conditions.
What traditional rule about fashion was associated with Labor Day?
No black clothes
No white clothes
No red clothes
No blue clothes
The fashion rule ‘no white after Labor Day’ became popular among wealthy Americans in the early 20th century as a status symbol.
What percentage of American workers belonged to labor unions when Labor Day became federal?
0.02
0.05
0.1
0.15
Only about 2% of American workers were union members in 1894, though this number would grow significantly in the following decades.
Which president signed Labor Day into law?
Benjamin Harrison
Grover Cleveland
William McKinley
Theodore Roosevelt
President Grover Cleveland signed the law making Labor Day a federal holiday just six days after the end of the Pullman Strike.
What was the minimum working age when Labor Day became a holiday?
No minimum
10 years
12 years
14 years
There was no minimum working age in 1894, and children as young as 5 often worked in factories and mines.
What color was traditionally worn by workers in the first Labor Day parades?
Blue
Red
White
Black
Workers typically wore blue, which became associated with the working class and gave rise to the term ‘blue-collar worker.’
How many states had already made Labor Day a holiday before it became federal?
23
27
30
33
By 1894, 30 states had already adopted Labor Day as a state holiday before it became federal, showing its growing popularity.
What traditional food became associated with Labor Day celebrations?
Hot dogs
Hamburgers
BBQ
All of these
Labor Day became associated with outdoor cooking and BBQs as unions organized large picnics for workers and their families.
What was the average yearly wage when Labor Day became federal?
400
600
800
1000
The average American worker earned about $400 per year in 1894, equivalent to roughly $12,000 in today’s money.
Which industry had the most union members when Labor Day began?
Mining
Railroad
Manufacturing
Construction
Railroad workers were among the most organized laborers in the 1890s, playing a crucial role in the labor movement.
What type of celebration was traditionally held after Labor Day parades?
Festival
Picnic
Concert
Dance
Labor Day parades were typically followed by festivals featuring speeches, music, and family activities to celebrate workers.
How many countries celebrate their Labor Day on the same day as the US?
1
2
3
4
Only the United States and Canada celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September, while most other countries observe it on May 1st.
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