Who founded the Knights of Labor?

• A. Samuel Gompers
• B. Eugene V. Debs
• C. Uriah S. Stephens
• D. Cornelius Vanderbilt

Answer: (C)

The Knights of Labor was founded by Uriah S. Stephens in 1869. This organization played a significant role in advocating for workers' rights, focusing on issues such as the eight-hour workday, equal pay for equal work, and the inclusion of all workers regardless of skill level. Stephens aimed to create a broad-based movement that included not just skilled artisans but also unskilled laborers, women, and African Americans.

Under Stephens’ leadership, the Knights of Labor grew rapidly throughout the 1880s, reflecting the increasing discontent among workers during the Gilded Age. The organization distinguished itself from other labor unions by emphasizing the importance of political action and reform in addition to traditional labor strikes.

The other individuals mentioned—Samuel Gompers, Eugene V. Debs, and Cornelius Vanderbilt—were influential in their own right but were not responsible for the founding of the Knights of Labor. Gompers was known for his role in the American Federation of Labor (AFL), Debs was a prominent Socialist leader and founded the American Railway Union, while Vanderbilt was a wealthy industrialist.