May Day: The Story Behind the Eight-Hour Day
May 1 is observed as International Workers’ Day, also called May Day, in many places. The International Labour Organization connects the observance to the labor movement of the 1880s and its call for an eight-hour workday. How the date is marked varies by country; it is separate from the September Labor Day observed in the United States.
During the late nineteenth century, the industrial revolution changed how goods were made. Huge factories opened in growing cities. Steam-powered engines hummed, textile mills spun thread, and rail yards moved coal day and night. While these inventions allowed factories to produce more items than ever before, the people operating the equipment faced grueling routines. A typical working day lasted ten, twelve, or even fourteen hours, six days a week. Mill operators, carpenters, miners, and bricklayers spent nearly all their daylight hours on the job, leaving little time to rest, learn, or spend moments with their children.
- observance:
- The act of following or celebrating a special holiday, custom, or rule.
- grueling:
- Extremely tiring, harsh, and demanding a lot of effort.
- slogan:
- A short, memorable phrase used by a group to share an important idea or goal.
- dismissed:
- Fired or let go from a job by an employer.
- solidarity:
- Unity and mutual support among people who share a common goal.
- proceedings:
- Official events or legal actions that take place in a court or formal meeting.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main topic of the passage?
- 2Why was working in nineteenth-century factories so difficult for employees?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“May Day: The Story Behind the Eight-Hour Day” is a explanatory article reading passage about May Day and the Eight-Hour Workday, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (458 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.