In United States labor history, how did the Pullman Strike of 1894 begin?

Introduction / Context:
The Pullman Strike of 1894 is one of the most famous labor conflicts in United States history and is frequently discussed in world history surveys as an example of industrial era tensions. It involved railway car workers employed by the Pullman Company and later spread when the American Railway Union supported them. Understanding how the strike began helps you see how workplace grievances, economic depression and management decisions combined to produce a national crisis.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the Pullman Strike of 1894.
• The focus is on the immediate cause or starting point of the strike.
• The options mention attempts to leave the company town, a wildcat strike vote, a recession and the firing of a delegation.
• You must pick the option that best describes the trigger that set off the strike itself.

Concept / Approach:
During the economic downturn of the 1890s, the Pullman Company cut workers wages but did not reduce rents and prices in the company owned town where many workers lived. This created serious hardship. When workers sent a committee to meet with George Pullman to request changes, the company responded by firing some of the committee members. This action was seen as deeply unfair and became the immediate cause for the workers to stop work. While the depression and wage cuts formed the background, the dismissal of the delegation is widely identified as the starting point of the strike.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Pullman Strike took place during an economic depression, which led to wage cuts for workers. Step 2: Understand that wage cuts alone did not immediately produce the full scale strike, but they created anger and hardship. Step 3: Remember that a workers committee approached George Pullman to request lower rents or better conditions. Step 4: Note that instead of negotiating, Pullman dismissed some of the committee members, which workers saw as retaliation. Step 5: Recognise that this firing of the delegation directly triggered the strike in May 1894, making that event the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative Check:
If you consult standard accounts of the Pullman Strike, they consistently describe a chain of events: wage reduction, refusal to cut rents, formation of a workers committee, meeting with Pullman and the firing of committee members. Only after this firing did workers vote to strike and stop the movement of Pullman cars. The American Railway Union later joined by organising a boycott, which expanded the conflict. These detailed narratives confirm that the dismissal of the delegation was the immediate spark, while the depression and wage cuts formed the broader context rather than the single triggering act.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The option about workers trying to move out of the company town misrepresents the core issue; the strike centred on pay and rents, not on leaving the town. A sudden wildcat strike without negotiations does not fit the historical record, which shows that workers first attempted a formal meeting. The economic recession did influence company decisions, but saying that the factories were closed permanently is inaccurate and too broad to describe the specific beginning of the strike. These alternatives either exaggerate or distort the actual sequence of events.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse long term causes with immediate triggers and may choose options that describe the depression or wage cuts without identifying the key turning point. Another mistake is to assume that all major strikes begin unplanned, when in fact many follow failed attempts at negotiation. To avoid these errors, pay attention to both background causes and specific actions in historical narratives. Asking yourself what event changed a tense situation into open conflict will usually guide you to the correct answer.

Final Answer:
The Pullman Strike of 1894 began when a workers delegation met with company owner George Pullman to request relief and the members were fired, so that option is correct.