1500s Today in Labor History December 23, 1598: During the Arauco War, Chief Pelantaru led the Mapuches in the Battle of Curalaba. During the battle, they killed Martín García Óñez de Loyola, Governor of Chile, as well as nearly every other person fighting with the Spaniards. The victory led to a general Mapuche uprising that resulted in […]

Today in Labor History December 22, 856: The Damghan earthquake in Persia killed an estimated 200,000 people. It was the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history December 22, 1731: There was a Dutch revolt against a meat tax on this date. Today in Labor History December 22, 1894: The Dreyfus affair began in France, when Alfred Dreyfus, was wrongly convicted

Today in Labor History December 21, 1598:  The Mapuche, led by cacique Pelentaru, defeated Spanish troops in southern Chile in the Battle of Curalaba. Today in Labor History December 21, 1907: The Santa María School massacre occurred in Iquique, Chile. The Chilean Army attacked striking saltpeter miners and their wives and children, killing over 2,000 and destroying the strike. It

Today in Labor History December 20, 1790: The first American cotton mill began operation in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The mill, owned by Samuel Slater, employed children aged 4-10. Ann Arnold, aged 9, was Slater’s first employee. The children worked 12-hour days, 6 days per week in the winter. In the summer, they were forced to