Explain the significance of: (a) Knights of Labor, (b) Haymarket Riot, (c) American Federation of Labor, (d) ILGWU, (e) Triangle Fire.

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A. The Knights of Labor was a workers' union founded in 1869. The Knights of Labor initially functioned as a secret organization because the owners of the companies threatened members of the Knights of Labor that they would fire them if the owners of the companies found out that their employees had become members of the Knights of Labor. With the arrival of Terence Powderly as President, the activities of the Knights of Labor were expanded. Since 1879, untrained workers, women, immigrants, and African Americans have been qualified to join the Knights of Labor. The goals of this workers' organization were to reduce working hours, abolish child labor, improve working conditions, and create opportunities for employers and workers to share ownership and earnings. Yet, the Knights of Labor did not support workers' strikes. The leaders of the Knights of Labor believed that their goals could be achieved through negotiations. Despite opposition from the Knights of Labor, in 1886, workers at the McCormick Harvester Company organized a strike. The strike turned into a conflict between the strikers and the workers who worked as their replacements. After this conflict, the anarchists began to lead the strikers. On May 4, 1886, a bomb exploded, killing several police officers. Anarchists were accused and convicted of these murders. Many people then began to suspect that the anarchists were the ones leading the Knights of Labor. Therefore, the popularity of this organization soon declined.