Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City in 1911 is an  important event in American labor history. The website linked here will tell you about the tragedy and give you some insight into why this event had such a huge influence on Americans.

The Triangle Fire http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/

1) Read sections of Leon Stein's story about the fire.

2) Who were the victims of the fire? I am not asking their names?--What did the people killed in the fire have in common?

3) What was the history of "Sweatshops and Strikes before 1911"?

4) Why was the mortality rate so high in this industrial accident?

5) Why did this tragedy draw such a strong public reaction?

6) Did anything change as a result of the fire and its aftermath?

If you want to learn more about women and labor reform:

The 1912 Lawrence Textile Strike
http://womhist.binghamton.edu/law/intro.htm

Workers and Allies in the Shirtwaist Strike
http://womhist.binghamton.edu/shirt/intro.htm

Florence Kelley and Factory Inspection
http://womhist.binghamton.edu/factory/intro.htm

You can hear an interview with Pauline Newman, a Triangle Fire survivor, at:
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/178/