The triangle shirtwaist factory fire in new york city on march 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city, and one of the deadliest in u. In 1911, the triangle shirtwaist company, located in new york ity, was the nations largest shirtwaist manufacturer. Triangle firefighting based on the essay by barry roberts greer chief croker resigns on may 1, 1911, edward f. Adrev for a 3rd party on behalf of cue 5 alarm music cue. Analyze the documentary evidence that is provided for you to answer the specific questions. Who was to blame for the fire and the deaths of so many young people. The two men solely responsible for improving working conditions in america were robert wagner and alfred e. One hundred and fortysix immigrant seamstresses had died in the first 15 minutes of the fire. Triangle shirtwaist fire since its founding in 1896, nfpa has always placed special importance on its life safety. How did the tragedy at the triangle shirtwaist factory change american history. Labor conditions the triangle shirtwaist factory fire. Death is part of life and i dont believe in lying to, or hiding the truth from, children. Watson mulberry middle school student instructions.
It was the triangle shirtwaist fire that prompted creation of nfpas committee on safety to life and, ultimately, development of the code itself. The triangle shirtwaist factory fire of march 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in u. The women, and young girls, worked up to 52 hours per week for meager wages on overcrowded shop floors. In less than 20 minutes, 146 people were dead some burned to death. It was the deadliest workplace accident in new york citys history. Abstract in this inquiry students will investigate the factors contributing to the triangle shirtwaist factory fire of 1911. On march 25, 1911, the triangle shirtwaist company factory in new york city burned, killing 145 workers. It is remembered as one of the most infamous incidents in american industrial history, as the deaths were largely preventablemost of the victims died as a result of neglected safety features and locked doors within the factory building. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers 123 women and girls and 23 men who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or jumping.
The profitable business heralded as a model of efficiency operated in a modern fireproof building. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire from wikipedia, the free. The brown building is a tenstory building that is part of the campus of new york university nyu, which owns it. The triangle shirtwaist factory had conditions no different from countless other factories in new york. The triangle factory fire scandal is a 1979 american madefortelevision drama film directed by mel stuart and starring david dukes, tovah feldshuh, lauren frost, stacey nelkin, tom bosley and ted wass. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia as the workday was ending on the afternoon of saturday, march 25, 1911, a fire flared up at approximately 4. For continued access to the public historian content as it publishes, become a member of the national council on public history, or recommend the.
It started when a worker dropped cigarette ashes into a waste bin, the fire killed 146 people 123 women and 23 men. Did working conditions change as a result of the fire. The triangle shirtwaist factory fire in the greenwich village neighborhood of manhattan, new york city, on march 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city, and one of the deadliest in u. The doors were locked to ensure workers stay inside. On march 25, 1911, fire swept through the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york city, killing 146 employees, most of them women.
The triangle factory fire of 1911 dbq is intended for grade 8 michael t. Lena works long hours in a garment factory for little money and becomes involved in the growing labor movement. The clothing manufacturing company was located in a building touted as fireproof. The triangle shirtwaist factory is best known for the unique fashion blouse they produced and the horrific fire that killed 146 workers, women who might have lived if the owners had been forced to ensure safety standards in the factory. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, march 25, 1911 on march 25, 1911, a deadly fire broke out in the triangle shirtwaist factory in new yorks greenwich village. The story of immigrants, factory girls, labor unions, and a deadly fire that changed history lesson prepared by leah jerome, pascack valley high school hillsdale, nj grade level 1112 description the story of the triangle shirtwaist fire is multidimensional. The triangle shirtwaist factory fire occupational safety. A video tour of where the triangle shirtwaist factory fire occurred. On march 25, 1911, a fire at the triangle shirtwaist factory in lower manhattan a fire that lasted only half an hour forever changed governments role in protecting working men and women.
Yes, the owners of triangle shirtwaist company did by taking the fire escape before the fire got to it. Berkeleys labor occupational health program from existing lesson plans for the 100th anniversary of the triangle shirtwaist factory fire, in which 146. Triangle shirtwaist factory women strike, win better wages and hours, new york, 1909. Unrest was infiltrating throughout the womens garment workers industry. It is located at 2329 washington place, between greene street and washington square east in the greenwich village neighborhood of manhattan, new york city, and is best known as the location of the march 25, 1911 triangle shirtwaist factory fire, which killed 146.
At this shop on suffolk street on the lower east side, owned by mr. Historically, the 1911 tragedy defined the triangle workers as the victims of disaster. Housed in the beautiful neorenaissance 10story asch building, the ironandsteel structure was said to be fireproof and attracted many other garment makers. The fire that engulfed the triangle shirtwaist factory in march 1911 marked the deadliest workplace accident in new york citys history. But events on the saturday afternoon of march 25, 1911 at the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york city, stirred america to move to protect workers. This is a short childrens nonfiction book about the 1911 fire at the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york.
The factory girls were always smoking there and some cigarette cases were found near the area where the fire broke out see 1 in diagram 1. Triangle the fire that changed america download pdf. It is remembered as one of the most infamous incidents in american industrial histor. At the time of the shirtwaist workers strike, many immigrant women and girls were still toiling in small, dirty sweatshops where chances for unionization were dim. On march 25, 1911, the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york city burst into flames. Triangle is a poignantly detailed account of the 1911 disaster that horrified the country and changed the course of twentiethcentury politics and labor relations on march 25, 1911, as workers were getting ready to leave for the day, a fire broke out in the triangle shirtwaist factory in new yorks greenwich village. The triangle shirtwaist factory fire learning targets. The 1911 triangle shirtwaist fire and garment workers. The fatal event resulted in numerous factory workers deaths and stunned the public. Di proprieta di max blanck e isaac harris, occupava i 3 piani piu alti del palazzo a 10 piani asch building a new york city, nellintersezione di greene street e washington place, poco ad est di washington square park. In just under 30 minutes, a raging fire on the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors stole the lives of 164 young women. Department of labor the triangle shirtwaist factory.
The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers 123 women and girls and 23 men who died from the fire. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, fatal conflagration that occurred on the evening of march 25, 1911, in a new york city sweatshop, touching off a national movement in the united states for safer working conditions. Berkeleys labor occupational health program from existing lesson plans for the 100th anniversary of the triangle shirtwaist factory fire, in. Oct 07, 2014 one of our text to texts looks at a connection between the factory collapse in bangladesh and the triangle shirtwaist fire. The triangle shirtwaist factory fire was the disaster that brought to attention the need for improved working conditions in america. One of the bestknown factories making shirtwaists was the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york city.
More than a century ago, the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york city was a notoriously antiunion company and the focus of several job actions and union organizing. The fire killed more than 145 people and led to numerous health and safety laws. As we remember the 100 year anniversary of the triangle shirtwaist factory fire of 1911, it still remains one of the most deadly workplace disasters in american history. Mike kubic, a former correspondent of newsweek magazine, discusses the mistakes that led to this deadly disaster, as well as the drive for safer working conditions that followed.
American experience triangle fire season 23 episode. Triangle shirtwaist fire answer key on march 25, 1911, a small fire broke out in a bin of rags at the triangle shirtwaist factory on new york citys lower east side. As osha celebrates 40 years of protecting workers, we also remember the labor pioneers, safety advocates, community leaders and ordinary workers whose vision for a stronger america laid the foundations for the laws that keep workers safe and healthy today. A dropped match on the 8th floor of the triangle shirtwaist factory sparked a fire that killed over a hundred innocent people. While the improvements made to working conditions were beneficial, they were too small to. New york city with its diverse immigrant population and manufacturing base became a microcosm of the social, political, and economic changes resulting from. As you have never read beforethe triangle shirtwaist fire. The fire killed 146 people, many of whom jumped to their deaths from the sixth and seventh floor workrooms. Their exits had been locked by their employers to prevent them from taking breaks. In 1911, the triangle shirtwaist ompany, located in new york ity, was the nations largest shirtwaist manufacturer. How the deadly triangle shirtwaist factory fire shocked a. The tragic story of the triangle shirtwaist factory fire. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire march 25, 1911 march 25, 2011 the triangle shirtwaist factory fire killed 146 garment workers, most of them young immigrant women, on march 25, 1911, in new york city. City of immigrants to navigate new yorks lower east side in 1907 as lena, a young jewish immigrant from russia.
An inquiry using primary source documents this activity at a glance this unit was compiled by u. Croker, who had been chief of the fire department of new york since 1899, resigned five weeks after the triangle shirtwaist factory fire at 23 washington place in lower manhattan. The asch building, which the triangle factory occupied, was an old storage warehouse repurposed into a factory with limited modifications made. This photo was part of the exhibit the way we worked, on display at the national archives in washington dc in. On march 25, 1911, a devastating fire started at the triangle shirtwaist factory in new york city. Are there any working conditions that still need to be. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, 1911 gilder lehrman. The sangers became active members of the workers rights movement. A tossed cigarette or a lit match ignited the fire on the 8th floor of the building and the flames spread quickly throughout the rest of the building. It is located at 2329 washington place, between greene street and washington square east in the greenwich village neighborhood of manhattan, new york city, and is best known as the location of the march 25, 1911 triangle shirtwaist factory fire, which.
Story of the triangle factory fire by zachary kent. Microsoft word press release draft 100 anniversary of triangle fire of 1911. Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, march 25, 1911 on march. The triangle shirtwaist factory was a modern operation. Shirtwaist designs from the modern priscilla, a needlework magazine, 1906. Enacted in 1914, the new york state workers compensation act provides the. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers 123 women and girls and 23 men who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or jumping to their deaths. Shockingly, the notorious triangle fire was not the first fire to be seen at the triangle shirtwaist factory and especially not the first major fire in a factory owned by blanck and harris. This photo was part of the exhibit the way we worked, on display at the national archives in washington dc in 2006. Press release draft 100 anniversary of triangle fire of 1911. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers 123 women and 23 men who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or jumping to their deaths.