In reading Green's book, Death in the Haymarket, it is clear that the Haymarket Affair on May 4th, 1886, resulted in the decline of union activity across the United States. The reason for the decline can be assessed through the fate of the Knights of Labor, the politics that were associated with unions, and the rise of employer's fears of unions.
The Knights of Labor was the blamed for having caused the riot at the Haymarket Affair, which contributed greatly to their downfall (Horizons S17-6). Even Before the Haymarket incident, the Knights of Labor were under attack from other unions who disagreed that the unionized workers of all trades diluted the bargaining power of the union (Horizons 599). The Knights of Labor