Why did journeymen cordwainers (shoemakers) in Philadelphia form the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers in 1794? What strategies did they use to meet their objectives?

Writing by Geoffrey

Discussion questions: Commonwealth v. Pullis and Commonwealth v. Hunt

Answer any one question about Patrick Grubbs, “Cordwainers Trial of 1806,” The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, Rutgers University-Camden, https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/cordwainers-trial-of-1806/Links to an external site.

  1. Why did journeymen cordwainers (shoemakers) in Philadelphia form the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers in 1794? What strategies did they use to meet their objectives?
  2. Why did the masters (the cordwainers’ employers) take the member of the Federal Society to court?
  3. What were the roles of federalist and democratic-republican politics during the Commonwealth v. Pullis trial?

Answer both questions about Commonwealth v. Pullis and Commonwealth v. Hunt

  1. In Commonwealth v. Pullis (1806), what were the main arguments the judge made in his instructions to the jury?
  2. What were the main arguments Chief Justice Shaw made in Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)? How did his ruling differ from Commonwealth v. Pullis?