Four Philly Events that Changed the World (Dec. 3 to Dec. 9)
A majority of this week’s events pertain to the world of legislature and politics:
December 3
George McClellan Born (1826)
Civil War general George McClellan was born on this day in 1826 in Philadelphia.
After graduating from the United States Military Academy, McClellan fought under General Winfield Scott during the Mexican-American War. At the outbreak of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln appointed General McClellan as commander of “the Army of the Potomac” or the Union.
Despite his immense popularity and support of the soldiers beneath him, McClellan’s failures began to weaken the Union forces. After constant defeat at the hands of Confederate general Robert E. Lee, Lincoln had no choice but to hand the reigns to General John Pope.
When Pope faltered, McClellan was given a second chance. With frustration at its boiling point after the bloody Battle of Antietam, Lincoln was at wits end with his general.
McClellan ran as an anti-war candidate for the Democratic party against President Lincoln in the 1864 election. Lincoln was elected for his second term and McClellan’s political involvement was as Governor ofNew Jersey until his death.
December 4
American Anti-Slavery Society established (1833)
Notable slave abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison founded this association to combat this issue in 1833. Arthur Tappan and famous slave-turned-politician Frederick Douglass also were among the organization’s founders.
The purpose of the society was to stop the practice of African-enslavement in the United States by any means necessary. Members signed petitions for Congress, discussed solutions to the problem at meetings and created reading materials in order to spread the message.
By 1838, the amount of members reached to around 250,000 and local charters exceeded 1,000.
Despite the success, the society folded five years after its founding for differing opinions amongst the leaders.
December 6
U.S. Capitol moved from New York City to Philadelphia (1790)
After George Washington spent his two terms as President of the United States in New York City, Congress and all legislative branches of government were relocated to Philadelphia.
The Residence Act of 1790 made Philadelphia a transitional spot for the powers of the United States. Due to proposed plan, Congress approved the construction of government to be alongside the Potomac River, now modern-day Washington D.C.
December 9
Noble Order of the Knights of Labor Founded (1869)
The Noble Order of the Knights of Labor (NOKL) were the first labor union on a national scale. The main goal of the group was to protect its members from any suspicious behavior or wrongdoing from the employers. The order’s first leader was Uriah Smith Stephens.
The party’s members wanted to perform strikes in order to have their voices heard. When the power shifted to new leader Terence V. Powderly in 1879, the number of membership skyrocketed to 700,000.
Known for its violent protests, the order started to lose momentum and support after the infamous Haymarket Riot in Chicago. When the organization hit its demise, the name was changed to the American Federation of Labor and adopted the style of negotiation through collective bargaining.
