Which group constituted the backbone of the American labor force throughout the nineteenth century?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Common laborers, who performed unskilled manual labor in fields such as construction, agriculture, and transportation, made up the majority of the American labor force in the nineteenth century. While skilled laborers played an important role in certain industries, such as crafts and trades, they did not constitute the backbone of the labor force. Factory laborers and sweatshop laborers were significant in some areas, but did not dominate the labor market until later in the century.

Which Group Constituted the Backbone of the American Labor Force