Abstract This paper will explore the evolution of American labor and the unionization of the work force. Labor unions have been a growing process since the 1600’s. The evolution of labor has been able to unionize due to the need to worker protection and protection of rights. There are significant people that have also helped in the creation of the unions. Labor unions have been able to expand into many different organizations despite different issues that have risen. The success and failure of these organizations strictly come from the laws that were either made against them or to help strengthen them. From the past to the present we see a change in trends, obligations and people. American Labor has evolved over the course of history based on political, activities, and statistics. Keywords: American labor, unionization, work force According to American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) In the early 1600’s American labor stemmed as a result of the English planter’s lack of a labor force needed to harvest and produce important materials such as cotton and tobacco (2014). They fulfilled their labor need by capturing and enslaving African people. They used this method of capturing and transporting African people because they were not aware that they were being taken advantage of or what being brought to the new world would mean for them. Economically, however, it made sense for the English planters because it was a source of free labor. Although the American economy was flourishing, they were still under the rule of British government, which imposed taxes on all imported and exported products. The taxes were strongly cutting into their profits, which fueled the people’s unrest, leading them to the American Revolution. A major contributor to the American Revolution was the Boston Tea Party. The British government taxed the tea and the American people were furious. In rebellion they threw the British tea off the boat. As a result, in 1775 the American Revolution began which would eventually sever ties between the British government and the American people, and would eliminate the British tax on American commerce (AFL-CIO, 2014). Organization of Labor By the 1820s, American laborers began organizing on a national basis, which would develop into what we now know as labor unions (“Digital History,” 2014). Craft workers from the Northeast developed the initial unions with the purpose to protest the augmented use of untrained and semi-trained laborers in the production process (“Digital History,” 2014). In 1834, the first national organization of laborers, the National Trades’ Union, was formed (“Digital History,” 2014). At first, the organization reached 300,000 members; however, there was a financial depression in 1837 that made the amount of members decrease (“Digital History,” 2014). After the National Trades’ Union lost popularity, another national labor union was formed in 1869 known as the Knights of Labor (“Digital History,” 2014). The Knights of Labor was the groundbreaking force that broke the mold of what labor unions were thought to be. Their objective was to create one big union rather than dividing the people according to the industry where they worked. The Knight of Labor fought for an eight-hour work day, the elimination of child labor, enhanced safety in factories, even pay for men and women, and compensation for on-the-job injury (“Digital History,” 2014). The Knights declined rapidly after the 1886 Haymarket Square riot in Chicago (“Digital History,” 2014). In 1886 the American Federation of Labor was founded, and it replaced the Knights (“Digital History,” 2014). The American Federation of Labor is today the powerhouse of unionization. The American Federation of Labor’s ideals were similar to those of the Knights of Labor. They both aimed to help the working class people in acquiring higher remunerations, better working conditions, and regulating the amount of hours worked in a week. Labor Unions Definition Throughout the course of American history, labor unions have come a long way since the beginnings of American labor with the enslavement of American people to work as a free labor force. Coming from the times of slavery to today’s age of being able to unionize with minor trouble is just a small part of how far American labor has come. Today unions are in government agencies, educational systems, and in the blue-collar workplace. Unions can be seen as a vast organization that has been growing in size and power since the 1800’s. Since unions are able to grow at a large rate they can have a great impact on other businesses and the people around them. This can be both a beneficial and a harmful effect of today’s society and workplace depending on the situation. Main Activities Labor unions deal with an organization of employees who come together to secure favorable wages, improve working conditions,