Behind the Bastards Part One: The Second American Civil War You Never Learned About
13 snips
Apr 21, 2020 AI Snips
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A Hidden Second Civil War
- A large, violent labor conflict in West Virginia functioned like a second American civil war with machine guns and trenches.
- The Battle of Blair Mountain reveals labor struggle intensity often erased from mainstream US history.
The Deadly Reality Of Coal Mining
- Coal mining was extraordinarily dangerous with frequent explosions and collapses that killed and maimed thousands.
- Between 1890 and 1917, miners deaths and injuries outpaced many other large-scale workplace hazards of the era.
Company Towns Created Economic Captivity
- Company stores and company towns concentrated economic power and enabled exploitation of miners.
- Employers could control prices, housing, and even evict families overnight, creating severe dependency.