The Gilded Age was the last three decades of the nineteenth century, when America's industrial economy exploded, generating opportunity for individuals but also leaving many workers struggling for survival. With the many immigrants, both skilled and unskilled, arriving in America, the employment system is being flooded with new employees. During this period, immigrants, including Italians, were unskilled and skilled workers were usually of American origin. There was also a divide between the workers and the robber barons. Robber barons were American capitalists who acquired large fortunes in the latter nineteenth century, usually in ruthless fashion. There was a lot of turmoil throughout the business and labor community. Two large organizations, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor, helped represent workers in this time of chaos. The Knights of Labor, founded in 1869, represented both skilled and unskilled workers. They were quite popular with a large increase in membership that they became the largest union in 1885. They sought equal pay and equal work. All were welcomed among the Knights of Labor; there was no discrimination of race, gender or sex. They called for an eight-hour working day to reduce fatigue and for safety reasons. The Declaration of Principles of the Knights of Labor states that their aim is “to create industrial and moral value, not wealth” (Reading 9, p. 1). This means that moral value lies in the contribution they could make to society rather than in monetary gains. They were working towards this improvement of the life of the common man to advance in civilization and create new ideas for the society. They also called on the employer to treat the employee with respect and fairness so that he can contribute not only to his company but to Amer... middle of the paper... they will not settle for less. Time is wasting. Because “The time that takes us from the lowest condition to the highest civilization; time, so that we can raise men to a higher plane” (Reading 10, p. 2). Gompers has bigger goals, because he wants to improve America so that it continues to advance and create. Of all America, Chicago was the fastest growing city thanks to its railroad factory, which required unskilled labor such as Italian immigrants. “Steel Production Defined as Industrial Chicago” (Slideshow 7: Italian Immigrants in Chicago). If Italian immigrants weren't in New York, they were in Chicago. Wherever they lived, they lived in terrifying work environments. To understand why these changes in conditions were so necessary, it is essential to analyze the experiences of immigrants before and after 1880, particularly that of Italians.