When and why did we start having a two day weekend?

Answer 1

That is a good question, i believe it began with the carpenters union in the 1800's. it used to be that folks worked to support their farms and worked tirelessly from sunup to sundown, but when we entered the industrial age at the turn of the 1900's many farmers were going into the cities for work in factories as well as the building trades. Business owners where forcing workers to work 12 to 16 hours a day (adults and children alike) to increase their profits. The carpenters union, which had formed in the late 1880's, pushed for more humane working hours and were initially successful in getting the hours reduced to a 10 hour work day. As time went on, many employers began to realize that they were able to get as much production with workers who were'nt exhausted all the time and adopted the reduced work day that the unions had bargained for. During this time child labor laws were inacted, eliminating the practice of using minor children in factories. As unions became more and more prevelant in america they bargained for more and more workers rights and better working conditions, and were successful in negotiating an 8 hour work day and reducing the number of days required to work to monday through friday( keep in mind many of our earlier generations were very religious and the sabbath was keenly observed). I hope this answers the why, as to when the two day weekend was officially adopted I'm afraid i can only venture a guess but I would say probably in the 1920's, but that is only a guess based on the timeline of events that I have related.

Answer 2

the 2 day weekend 5 day work week are both generally as the result of the growth in the collective barganing power of labor unions in the early 20th century, which forced employers to allow workers balance in their work schedule.

Answer 3

another thing that was started in merry old england.
Althout many countried, societies and religions had a day of the week for rest.
In england in the 18th century the industrialist and labour unions campaigned to have saturday added to the religious sabbath day, which created....ta daaaa the weekend.

The rest of the worl caught on soon enough.

Answer 4

I think it was Henry Ford that started the 40 hour work week with weekends off. He wanted well rested workers to build his cars.

Back in the early 1900's I think.

Answer 5

I wish it were 5 days off and 2 days work hehehe :)