The year 1894 was marked by significant events around the world. In the United States, the Pullman Strike began, a nationwide railroad strike that highlighted labor disputes and workers' rights. This strike led to a major confrontation between labor unions and the federal government, ultimately resulting in the use of federal troops to break the strike. In Europe, the Dreyfus Affair unfolded in France, a political scandal involving a Jewish army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, who was wrongfully convicted of treason. This case sparked widespread public debate about anti-Semitism and civil rights, influencing French politics and society for years to come.