What significant action did Eugene Debs take against the Pullman Company?

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Prepare for UCF's AMH2020 U.S. History exam. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with explanations. Get exam-ready now!

Eugene Debs is primarily known for his role in leading the Pullman Strike of 1894, which was a significant labor action against the Pullman Company. The strike began when workers at the Pullman Company went on strike to protest wage cuts and high rents in company-owned housing. Debs, as the leader of the American Railway Union (ARU), supported the strike and called for a nationwide boycott of trains carrying Pullman cars. This action was pivotal in highlighting the struggles of labor at that time and raised national awareness about labor rights.

Debs's leadership and the strike ultimately brought attention to the plight of workers and the growing tensions between labor and management in the United States, making the Pullman Strike a key moment in American labor history. While he was involved in various aspects of union organization and negotiation, the defining action linked to his legacy regarding the Pullman Company was indeed leading the strike itself.