The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 was a nationwide protest in the United States against wage cuts and poor working conditions in the railroad industry. It began in West Virginia after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reduced workers' pay for the third time in a year. The strike quickly spread to other cities, with workers walking off the job and disrupting rail traffic. As the strike escalated, violence erupted in several locations, leading to clashes between strikers and law enforcement. The federal government intervened, deploying troops to restore order. The strike highlighted the growing tensions between labor and management during the Industrial Revolution.