Final answer:
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and the Pullman Strike of 1894 were both initiated as a reaction to significant reductions in wages. Workers' protests and boycotts led to national disruptions in the railroad industry, which resulted in government intervention and violence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 began as a response to a significant pay cut that railroad workers sustained earlier that year. The strike, which was one of the earliest national labor uprisings, quickly spread as railroad workers across the United States left their jobs in protest over reductions in wages and harsh working conditions. Workers' discontent was further amplified by the sympathy of the local communities, who often had relationships with the striking workers. This culminated in violent clashes, including a significant incident in Pittsburgh where militia members killed numerous people while protecting railroad property.
The Pullman Strike of 1894 was similarly motivated by pay cuts and poor living conditions in the company town of Pullman, Illinois. When George Pullman reduced the workforce and slashed the remaining employees' wages without reducing rents or store prices, the workers, supported by Eugene Debs and the American Railway Union, declared a strike. The strike had national implications due to the boycott of Pullman cars, causing a nationwide train stoppage and bringing in the federal government intervention to restore order.