The Pullman Strike and Labor Day Mini Play or Classroom Skit

Description

This lesson has students recount the major details of the Pullman Strike in a classroom skit. The actual strike was VERY complicated and had dozens of people who were involved. For the purposes of this lesson, I simplified the story down to the major people and events. I wanted to convey to students the reasons why workers were angry and how strikes of this era typically played out.

This skit dramatizes the rise and fall of the Pullman workers’ strike of 1894. It begins with the promise of prosperity in Pullman Town, a model community created for factory workers, but tensions grow as wages are cut, rents remain high, and the somewhat “big brother” company control tightens. Workers, frustrated by their worsening conditions, strike after negotiations fail. The strike spreads nationwide, disrupting trade and leading to violent clashes with federal troops. Despite their efforts, the strike collapses, and many workers face severe repercussions. The event highlights early struggles for labor rights, culminating in the establishment of Labor Day as a federal holiday. (Notably, the strike was an indirect cause of the creation of Labor Day, however, the two events are closely linked.)

There are many roles for students to play – some have many lines and others have only a few.

Included in this resource:

• A Word Version of the skit/ mini-play (editable)
• A PDF Version of the skit/ mini-play (not editable)
• A PowerPoint version and a Google Slides version of the exit ticket
• A Canva version of the scene slideshow
• A lesson plan with guidance for implementation

This lesson addresses the following NYS Social Studies standards:

8.2d.3 – Students will examine key labor events including the Haymarket affair, the Pullman Strike, and the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union strike.

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