Final answer:
The public had mixed views of labor unions after the big strike during the Industrial Revolution. Some individuals were sympathetic to the demands of railroad workers, while others saw unions as a threat to innovation and efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Public View of Labor Unions after the Big Strike During the Industrial Revolution
The public had mixed views of labor unions after the big strike during the Industrial Revolution. Some local citizens were sympathetic to the railroad workers' demands during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, as they were often relatives and friends. However, business owners and many Americans believed that unions were radical and un-American, and they viewed labor strikes as opposing innovation and efficiency.
In the decades that followed, public opinion of labor strikes declined even further due to events such as the Homestead Steel Strike of 1892 and the Pullman Strike of 1894, which crushed the labor movement for the next forty years.
Ultimately, the public opinion of labor unions after the big strike during the Industrial Revolution was divided, with some showing sympathy towards workers and their demands, while others viewed unions as a threat to innovation and efficiency.