Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Assignment

From the perspective of an American living in 1911 who has been following the news of the Triangle Factory Fire and its aftermath in your daily paper, tell me your reaction to the events. What actions (if any) do you think should be taken?

I am bewildered and livid at the lack of concern and greed of Triangle Owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris. If the pair had actually cared about their workers and working conditions, this fire would not have even occurred in the first place. As a result of this tragic event, we need actions that will safeguard the vulnerable and the oppressed. First, we should distribute weekly pensions, supervise and care for the young workers and children placed in institutions of various kinds, and secure work and proper living arrangements for the workers after they recuperate from their injuries. We should contact the Red Cross and ask to collect funds from the general public on its behalf. We must lead a campaign to investigate working conditions by collecting testimonies from Triangle workers. Also, we must demand that Triangle owners Blanck and Harris be brought to trial. Having those two men put in jail would definitely serve them right!

How do the events of the Triangle Factory Fire and its aftermath tie in with what we’ve learned about the Progressive Era thus far?

The events of the Triangle Factory Fire and its aftermath tie in with what we’ve learned about the Progressive Era. One of the main goals of the Progressive Era was to end abuses of power. In the immediate years following the Triangle Fire, a flurry of legislation perfected old laws and introduced new ones, which somewhat improved working conditions. A Factory Investigating Commission was created and conducted a series of New York hearings that resulted in the passage of important factory safety legislation. Also, labor and management in the garment trades cooperated in the ongoing work of the Joint Board of Sanitary Control to set and maintain standards of sanitation in the workplace after the fire. The International Ladies’ Garments Workers’ Union (ILGWU) organized a rally against the unsafe working conditions that led to the Triangle disaster. The ILGWU, in concert with others in the labor movement and other progressive organizations, began a long and difficult battle to achieve the right of safe, decent working conditions for workers.