The
Molly Maguires Facts for kids
Interesting facts about the Molly Maguires are detailed below. The history of
Molly Maguires is told in a factual sequence consisting of
a series of short facts providing a simple method of relating the
history and events of the Molly Maguires.
Molly
Maguires Fact Sheet:
Facts for kids
Molly Maguires
Fact 1: The original Molly Maguire was a
legendary Irish woman who led protesters against
tyrannical English landlords who attempted to steal
their homes and lands.
Molly Maguires
Fact 2: The first 'Mollies' were renown for
bloody bare knuckle fights with their oppressors. The
secret society of Irish and Irish-American coal miners
proudly adopted the name for their own secret society.
Molly Maguires
Fact 3:
The Mollies emerged during the economic depression known
as the Panic of 1873 that lasted for six
years and lead to financial hardship, destitution civil unrest,
demonstrations and the first nationwide
strikes.
Molly Maguires
Fact 4: Over one million Irish immigrants
fled the devastation of the 1845 Irish Potato Famine to
seek a new life in the United States. The men took work
where they could get it many on the railroads and others
in the coal mines of Pennsylvania.
Molly Maguires
Fact 5: The biggest the coal mines were
located in Carbon, Schuylkill, Lackawanna, Luzerne,
Columbia, Northumberland and Lehigh Counties of
Pennsylvania. The Irish were faced with harsh treatment
and discrimination. Work in the coalmines was extremely
dangerous and the working conditions were appalling.
Molly Maguires
Fact 6: The Workingmen’s Benevolent
Association (WBA) was established in 1864 to improve
working conditions in the mining industry. However, the
organizers of the WBA were also prejudice against the
Irish who formed their own union to protect the Irish
workers.
Molly Maguires
Fact 7: The Irish group was known as the
Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH). Only Irishmen or
American-Irish of Irish descent were permitted to join
the AOH society.
Molly Maguires
Fact 8: The Molly Maguires were a secret
'spin-off' organization of the AOH. Only trusted AOH
members would be inducted into the Mollies. The identity
of members of the Mollies were kept secret as they were
militant and would resort to intimidation or violent
action if necessary.
Molly Maguires
Fact 9: The working conditions lacked safety
precautions and miners were subjected to constant
hazards. Both injuries and deaths were frequent
occurrences. Their working lives were a
constant bitter struggle to survive.
Molly Maguires
Fact 10:
Child Labor: Not only were the
working conditions terrible but the coal companies also
used child labor. The children of the Irish miners
started work at the age of just seven years old and
worked for a wage of $1-$3 dollars per week until they
were 16 years old.
Continued...
Molly
Maguires
Facts for kids
Molly Maguires
The info about the
Molly Maguires provides interesting facts and
important information about this important event that occured during the presidency of the 18th President of the United States of America.
Molly Maguires Facts for kids
Interesting history and the Molly Maguires Facts for kids are
continued below.
Molly
Maguires
Facts for kids
Molly Maguires
Fact 11: The Molllies protested and the coal
companies started to recruit other immigrants to replace
the Irish. This sparked the 'Long
Strike of 1875'.
Molly Maguires
Fact 12: Franklin B. Gowen (the president of
the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company) hired
the services of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency
to deal with the Mollies and their strike action.
Molly Maguires
Fact 13: Pinkerton selected James McParland an
Irishman from County Armagh, to go undercover against
the Mollies.
Molly Maguires
Fact 14: James McParland used the alias of
"James McKenna" and succeeded in infiltrating the
Mollies.
Molly Maguires
Fact 15: James McParland worked with the Coal
and Iron Police (nicknamed the "Pennsylvania Cossacks"),
a private police force established by the Pennsylvania
General Assembly that was employed, and paid for, by the
coal companies.
Molly Maguires
Fact 16: Information from James McParland led
to the arrest of 60 Mollies in 1875. The arrests ended
the strike, however the Coal Companies wanted an example
to be made and the men were put on trial.
Molly Maguires
Fact 17: Individual trials were held from 1875
to 1877 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania related to alleged
crimes committed by the Mollies. No evidence was given
to link the accused to the Molly Maguires, indeed there
was no evidence given to prove that such a secret
society even existed.
Molly Maguires
Fact 18: 20 men were sentenced to hang to
death. The trials attracted hostile newspaper coverage
towards the Irish. Public outcry against the Irish was
so strong that they were excommunicated from the
Catholic church and denied a Christian burial. The media
branded the Irish Mollies as ruthless murderers and
stated that it was common practice for the Mollies to
commit "floggings, lynchings and tar-and-feathers".
Molly Maguires
Fact 19: Twenty men were hanged in Carbon and
Schuylkill county prisons for first degree murder on
June 21, 1877, based on the dubious testimony of James
McParland and the "Pennsylvania Cossacks"
Molly Maguires
Fact 20: The hangings of the Mollies have
since been recognized as unjustified. The mollies are
revered as Irish heroes. The 1970 movie called the
'Molly Maguires' was directed by Martin Ritt and starred
Richard Harris and Sean Connery.
Molly
Maguires
Facts for kids
Molly
Maguires:
Rise of Big Business and Corporations
For additional facts and info refer to the
Rise of Big
Business and Corporations involving the
monopolies and trusts. Learn about the wealthy
industrialists referred to as the
Robber Barons and the
Captains of Industry
and discover the
Industrialization in
America that
led to Riots, Strikes and Unions. For addition facts
refer to the article on the
Labor Unions
History.
Molly Maguires - President Ulysses Grant Video
The article on the
Molly Maguires provides an overview of one of the Important issues of his presidential term in office. The following
Ulysses Grant video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 18th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877.
Molly Maguires - Economic
Depression
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Interesting Facts about the Molly Maguires for kids and schools
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Definition of the Molly Maguires in US history
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Facts about the Molly Maguires
●
Ulysses Grant Presidency from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877
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Fast, fun, facts on Molly Maguires, an Important events in his presidency
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Ulysses Grant
● Ulysses Grant Presidency and
the Molly Maguires for schools,
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