Education: Document Showcase:

Industrialization & Child Labor in New York

Document 1
Cigar Union Label

1. Why do you think the cigar makers’ union put this label on its products?
2. The label uses the terms “coolie,” “prison,” and “filthy tenement-house workmanship.”  Discuss why you think the union used these terms.  Do we still have these biases today? 
3. In the late 19th century, the term “coolie” was often used as a derogatory word to refer to low-wage workers of Asian descent.  Are there any immigrant groups that are discriminated against in the labor force today?

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This DBQ is available as a printable worksheet in PDF format.