Question

The early efforts of the American Federation of Labor focused on:

A) Encouraging open immigration
B) Organizing skilled workers into unions
C) Forming worker-owned businesses
D) Creating a single union for workers and farmers

Answer 1

The American Federation of Labor, formed by Samuel Gompers in 1886, focused on organizing skilled workers into unions to achieve economic gains such as better wages and shorter work weeks through strikes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The early efforts of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) focused on organizing skilled workers into unions. Established by Samuel Gompers in 1886, the AFL represented a federation of various craft unions, geared primarily towards skilled White male workers at the time.

The AFL concentrated on economic gains such as better wages, shorter workweeks, and the enforcement of a closed shop, wherein only union members could be employed. Strikes were used as a key strategy to obtain these objectives. The AFL experienced significant growth and successes in achieving an 8-hour workday and higher wages, reaching over 2 million members by 1914.