Saaim Khan 1.19.17 Study Guide for Chapter 14 Labor?s Response to Industrialism Key Content Terms Define and explain the significance of each Key Content Term. Working class: These workers were the ones who made the wealth of Rockefeller and Carnegie possible. They accepted low pay and dangerous conditions because they could not afford to lose their jobs. Many working-class families lived in run-down tenements in poor slums. They were ?crushed? by the upper class because they were not above the ?separation? line. Child labor: The American industry relied on the labor of children, because they had the ability to squeeze into tight spaces since they were small. They often worked longer hours than adults for the same pay.