Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
The Birth of the Labor Movement
Wisconsin's workers and reformers made significant contributions to the history of labor in the United States, helping to enact legislation such as workers' compensation and unemployment insurance that served as models for similar laws in other states. The study of labor history itself also began in Wisconsin when University of Wisconsin economist John R. Commons set out to document the history of work and labor in America at the turn of the twentieth century. Commons and his associates also joined labor leaders, the business community, and politicians to bring about some of Wisconsin's groundbreaking social policies.
The evolution of Wisconsin's... more...
Original Documents and Other Primary Sources
 | Milwaukee's mayor looks back on the Bay View Riot of 1886 |
| A Milwaukee worker recalls the labor movement's early years. |
| Woodworkers strike turns violent in Oshkosh, 1898 |
| A tariff advocate seeks worker support, 1880 |
| The Sheboygan Press covers the strike in Kohler, 1934 |
| An overview of Polish immigration through 1896 |
| Wisconsin Governor Jeremiah Rusk (1830-1893) |
 | The National Labor Relations Board tries to settle the Kohler strike, 1934 |
| Kohler workers strike for Union recognition |
| A Labor Day souvenir from the 1900 celebration |
| The many products of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, 1948 |
| Milwaukee trade unions organize to lobby for workers' rights |
 | Photographs of the Bay View Rolling Mills |
| Photographs of post-war Milwaukee labor activities |
| Pictures of strikes and lockouts, 1886-1970 |
 | A Milwaukee brothel's account book, ca. 1910 |
| A Progressive Era commission investigates vice, 1914 |
| Working women describe their daily lives, 1914 |
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