Explain the effects of the Haymarket Riot.

The Haymarket Riot, which took place on May 4th 1886 at
Haymarket Square Chicago, was a result of a peaceful labor demonstration turned chaotic. This
riot had both immediate effects and long term effects some of which will be discussed
below.

To begin with, one immediate effect of the riot was the loss
of lives caused by both the hurling of the bomb and the indiscriminate open fire by the police in
response. It is estimated that approximately eleven people died including seven policemen and an
unconfirmed number of civilians.

Another immediate effect was the
arrest of eight labor movement radical leaders who were arraigned and tried in court. Eventually,
seven of them were slapped with capital punishment and one handed a 15 year jail
term.

Also, the Haymarket riot sparked a deep sense of xenophobia
throughout the country. Chicago newspapers incited the public against the anarchists by
publishing the police version of the Haymarket incident and stirring sympathy for them. While
depicting the radical anarchists as a threat to social stability, the newspapers managed to
trigger deed hatred and fear towards labor movements and foreigners in
entirety.

 The Knights of Labor, the largest labor movement,
declined in popularity as anti-labor sentiments surged. Alongside the above, the riot caused a
delay in the realization of the eight-hour work day as well as other better working conditions
advocated for by the labor movement.

In the long term, the labor
movement became stronger and organizations such as the American Federation of Labor (AFL) were
established to agitate for workers’ rights.