Which statement best describes the Knights of Labor’s involvement with the Haymarket Square Riot?

Which statement best describes the Knights of Labor’s involvement with the Haymarket Square Riot?

• A. They supported the government in suppressing the riot
• B. They carried out the Haymarket Square Riot and contributed to their decline
• C. They had no involvement with the riot
• D. They led a peaceful march in response to the riot

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is understanding how the Knights of Labor were connected to Haymarket and how that event affected them. The Knights supported the eight-hour day and helped organize protests around that goal, so they were involved in the labor movement surrounding Haymarket. They did not carry out the riot themselves; the violence at Haymarket was carried out by others, including anarchist elements, and the backlash from the incident harmed public opinion toward labor unions. As a result, the Knights’ influence waned after Haymarket, more from the backlash than from any direct action of their own. The other options don’t fit as well: they didn’t act to support the government’s suppression, they weren’t the ones who carried out the riot, and they didn’t lead a peaceful march in direct response to the event.

The key idea here is understanding how the Knights of Labor were connected to Haymarket and how that event affected them. The Knights supported the eight-hour day and helped organize protests around that goal, so they were involved in the labor movement surrounding Haymarket. They did not carry out the riot themselves; the violence at Haymarket was carried out by others, including anarchist elements, and the backlash from the incident harmed public opinion toward labor unions. As a result, the Knights’ influence waned after Haymarket, more from the backlash than from any direct action of their own.

The other options don’t fit as well: they didn’t act to support the government’s suppression, they weren’t the ones who carried out the riot, and they didn’t lead a peaceful march in direct response to the event.