Coal became a major fuel source after commercial mining began in the 1700s, expanding rapidly in the late 1800s, leading to company towns where workers were exploited with low pay, often in company scrip.

The Pullman Strike of 1894, sparked by wage cuts and high rent, saw federal troops siding with corporations to crush the strike.

Coal miners faced dangerous conditions like black lung, exemplified by disasters like the 1869 Avondale mine collapse that killed 108. Mine owners valued profit over safety.

The Panic of 1893 worsened miners' struggles, leading to a major national strike in 1894. The government supported mine owners, causing the strike to fail and weakening the UMWA.