Teaching can be dicey sometimes. In a world full of soundbites and political blurbs, talking about an event that is highly political and complicated can be difficult. Haymarket and all that is associated with it fall into that category. Using some of the following resources can be helpful when looking at the event.

FAQ

Was the event really a riot?

A: Yes, in a sense that it developed into fighting between workers and local police after several days of protest and strikes by local workers. During the night of May 4, a bomb exploded in the market square killing several on both sides. Local leaders had been part of activities before the bomb exploded. The riot was part of events that happened afterward as police officers and strikers argued and then began to fight each other.

Why were the workers protesting?

A: Workers were on strike for several reasons. Mostly they were arguing for better/safer working conditions and some rights as workers. Organizers of the striking workers explained to newspapers that the most important issue was creating an eight-hour workday.

Why is it difficult to know exactly what happened?

A: Just like today, evidence of the event comes from different sources. Newspapers that were owned and written by supporters of the strike and businesses. So while one article might say that the strikers were violent a different article might say that the police were violent.