164 Reform and Revitalization: The Military and Civil Disorder, Part I

We are back! Our series on the reform and revitalization of the
American military continues with a focus on how the military
responded to civil disorder. The rise of the factory system and
the industrialization of the United States changed the economic
landscape of the nation. Wage earners, feeling powerless at time
of rampant profits as well as little in the way of protections
during economic downturns, used collective action to put a stop
to these abuses. Often, these labor stoppages would involve
property destruction and violence. In response, both the National
Guard and regular army troops would intervene. The great railroad
strike of 1877 was the first instance in the post Civil War era
that this occurred, informing how the military would respond to
unrest for the rest of the century. Enjoy!


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