The purpose of this exercise is to provoke analytical thought and insight concerning the significance of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911) as a catalyst for progressive reform in the early-20th century.
Assignment directions:
Please review the articles, website, and video on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire provided for this exercise below.
In three or more typed pages (750+ words), please answer the following questions as completely as possible.
Ideal papers will use several examples from the video, articles, website, PowerPoint lectures, and textbook to defend their perspectives or to support their arguments. Additional outside resources may be used in preparing your paper. If using outside resources, proper citation is required (any citation format is acceptable).
Papers will be graded according to content, accuracy, and the degree of knowledge and analytical insight produced in your responses. Proper grammar and spelling are expected!
Reaction papers must be submitted to the dropbox below before the end of week 6 by 11:55pm It is your responsibility to verify that you received a confirmation receipt from Canvas that your paper was submitted successfully. Good luck!
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\”The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy\”Al Smith, Governor of New York (1919-20, 1923-28)
The common sense workplace regulations and reforms that eventually became law were sought by the progressives for nearly a decade, yet nothing occurred until after this tragedy. Please describe working conditions in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Why were these conditions allowed to exist?
Between 1905 and 1920, there was an average of 2,000 fatalities per year in the coal mining industry. Regulation of that industry did not take shape until the 1950s. What regulations were put into effect as a result of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire? What role do you think gender played, if any, in influencing the need to reform working conditions as a consequence of the Triangle tragedy?
What lessons can be learned today from studying the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire? In your response, please discuss what responsibility, if any, businesses and government have to the working classes (please use specific examples to defend your position).
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Please read the following short articles:
The Mind-Set that Survived the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (2011)
Bangladesh Factory Tragedy Kills Over 1,000 (2013)
Scholarly information on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire can be found at the following website:
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/
I have included the link to the PBS site, \”American Experience,\” to give you access to its 50+ minute presentation on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/triangle/
