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The Start of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877

Library of Congress

Where this source supports the record

Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.

  1. Social movements · 16 July–August 1877

    The Great Railroad Strike of 1877

    Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Martinsburg shops · United States

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    Why editors use it here

    Research synthesis and primary-source gateway for economic causes, geographic spread, violence, and labor consequences.

    1. Quick read

      In July 1877, Baltimore & Ohio workers at Martinsburg stopped trains after another ten-percent wage cut.

      Reviewed 26 July 2026
    2. Trigger and conditions

      Major railroads announced new wage reductions in summer 1877.

      Reviewed 26 July 2026
    3. Uncertainty

      National casualty and participation totals vary because the movement lacked central records and mixed strikers, supporters, bystanders, and property attacks.

      Reviewed 26 July 2026
    4. Why it matters

      The strike was neither one centrally planned insurrection nor a set of unrelated riots.

      Reviewed 26 July 2026