What where the causes of the Haymarket Affair: “Blood and the Bomb” using the text in 1 paragraph

Chicago, ILL, May 4. —Great were the expectations of the socialistic leaders of running the meeting they had called for to-night. As early as 7:30 o’clock had been mentioned for the speaking, when the excitement would begin. The place chosen was the old hay market on Randolph street, capable of holding from 15,000 to 20,000 men. . . . The scene around the market about 8 p.m. showed that the scattered group of men loitering in the vicinity would make a crowd numbering not to exceed 1500.

A man who was standing in the crowd received a pistol ball in the thigh and has just been brought to the Central police station. He said that during the progress of the socialistic meeting a squad of officers marched by close to the speakers’ stand. Some one shouted, “kill the d—ds.” Almost as soon as the words had been uttered three bombs were thrown from near the stand into the midst of the squad of officers. They exploded instantly and five policemen fell.

Others were wounded, and several of the socialists did not escape. . . .

Later—more coherent accounts are coming in and they point to a much more disastrous affray than was at first reported. . . . At the time of the throwing of the bombs the crowd had dwindled down to less than a thousand.

The utterances of the speakers were still of a most inflammatory character, however, and the hearers who still remained grew riotous in demeanor. The police concluded to put an end to the disturbance, and advancing, ordered the crowd to disperse. At first the socialists fell back slowly, one of the speakers still urging them to stand firm. Suddenly the bombs were thrown. The police retorted instantly with a volley from their revolvers. The rioters answered with theirs, which shots showed they were provided with pistols. The mob appeared crazed with a frantic desire for blood, and holding its ground, poured volley after volley into the midst of the officers. The latter fought gallantly and at last dispersed the mob and cleared the marketplace.

ex. Great Britain's national debt nearly
doubles because of the Seven Years'
War and the French and Indian War.
Due to the national debt, Great
Britain needs to raise money to
defend the American frontier. As a
result, Parliament passes the Stamp
Act to tax the American colonists.


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1 answer

The Haymarket Affair, often referred to as “Blood and the Bomb,” was precipitated by a convergence of social unrest and labor disputes in Chicago, which flared during a socialist meeting at the Haymarket Square on May 4, 1886. As tensions escalated among the crowd of approximately 1,500—initially expected to be much larger—an inflammatory atmosphere reigned, fueled by incendiary speeches urging resistance against oppressive conditions. The situation spiraled when someone in the crowd shouted a violent provocation against the police, leading to the sudden throwing of bombs that killed several officers and initiated a chaotic gunfight. This eruption of violence was emblematic of the broader struggles between labor movements advocating for workers' rights and the authorities determined to maintain order, ultimately resulting in significant casualties and an intensified crackdown on labor activists.