Reading Comprehension · Social Studies
Labor Day
A reading lesson about the origins of Labor Day, how it became a national holiday, and how its celebration has changed over the years.
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Subject
Reading Comprehension
Grade Level
Grades 4–7
Format
Lesson + Printable PDF
Access
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The Origins of Labor Day
The first Monday in September is Labor Day in the United States. Labor Day was originally intended to honor workers like carpenters and construction workers for the hard labors that built our country’s buildings, roads, and machines. The first Labor Day was observed on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City.
It is still not known for sure who first proposed the holiday, but many accounts credit a man named Peter McGuire. McGuire was a member of an organization called the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. He also helped to found the American Federation of Labor (AFL), a group that protects the rights of workers. The AFL is still one of the largest unions in the United States.
Other accounts suggest that a man named Matthew Maguire, a machinist and member of the Central Labor Union in New York, was the first to propose a Labor Day holiday. What is known is that the Central Labor Union was the first to adopt the idea and plan a demonstration and picnic to observe it in 1882. The following year, the committee chose the first Monday in September to be Labor Day.
From Local Holiday to National Celebration
As the idea of celebrating Labor Day became more and more popular across the country, individual states began to make it a state holiday. The first state to propose that Labor Day become a state holiday was New York. However, the first state law making Labor Day a holiday was passed in Oregon in February 1887. Later that year, four more states — New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Colorado — made Labor Day a state holiday. By 1894, Labor Day was a holiday in 23 states. On June 28 of that year, Congress made Labor Day a national holiday.
In the beginning, Labor Day was more of a day for demonstrations and honoring workers. Most cities held a parade followed by a festival for workers and their families. Speeches were made in honor of workers, and in many cases, protests were held to bring important issues to public attention.
Today Labor Day is more of a day to rest. It has come to be known as the unofficial last day of summer. Many parks, beaches, and amusement parks end the summer season on Labor Day. Many schools reopen just after Labor Day weekend, especially in the northern part of the country.
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