Often when we experience a disaster that will set in motion the need for change. As we look back through history we come to realize that we have a tendency to make changes after a disaster has already occurred. We often have many warning signs prior to an incident but we choose to ignore them and continue to take chances as was done at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. On March 25, 1911 in New York City 146 people paid with their lives because of the unsafe working conditions that many workers endured during that time. Had just a few precautions been taken before that fateful night it is likely the loss of life would have been greatly reduced. This tragedy helped pave the way for new safety standards including better fire codes and factory safety standards.
Industrial growth was proving to be hazardous to people’s health; America was now the world leader in industrial accidents. There was no denying the extremely harsh working conditions were to blame for many of the accidents. The workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory on the 9th floor were getting ready to go home, standing in single file with open purses so they could be checked to ensure they were not stealing from the company. It was the end of the day and the workers were giddy to be leaving, within moments chaos ensued. Flames had broken out on the 8th floor and as they had in the past workers grabbed pails of water to douse the flames only this time the fire spread quickly, before anyone was aware the 9th floor was engulfed in flames and there was no way out. Doors were locked and fire escapes were non-existent and many of the workers were trapped in a fiery inferno. People were choosing to jump, their clothing ablaze, their hair streamed up aflame as they leaped. People looked up in horror, they were helpless, all they could do was stand back and watch. Had this been a union shop the doors would not of been locked and the workers would of already been down on the street one hour prior to the fire starting.
The catastrophic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire brought about a significant public outrage that demanded a second look at the safety and working conditions endured in New York. Two prominent politicians, Robert F Wagner and Alfred E Smith, headed a Factory Investigating Commission (FIC) to get some answers. There was no denying that due to blocked exits, locked doors, inadequate fire escapes and infrequent fire drills had been a contributing factor to the loss of life that day. Unscheduled factory visits were producing startling results, they were starting to understand the unsafe and unhealthy conditions workers faced everyday in factories. In the first year of existence they had already made significant improvements including controlling the sanitary conditions of factories, regulating the labor of women and children and providing fire-prevention measures and regular fire drills. Higher standards were set and more requirements for fire escapes, regulations against locked doors, blocked exits and the removal of combustible material.
Frances Perkins, who became the Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, witnessed the Triangle tragedy, she realized that the fire had stirred the Public conscience and their sense of guilt and she took the opportunity to make something positive come from such a tragedy. As an investigator with the Factory Investigating Commission (FIC) she was proactive in educating the commissioners about industrial dangers, she even had Robert Wagner crawl through the tiny hole labeled “Fire Escape” in the wall that lead to a step ladder covered in ice that ended twelve feet above the ground. Through investigations and interviews the FIC was instrumental in passing over thirty statutes on workplace safety, child labor and protective legislation for women. This was all done through hard work and determination that was brought on by a commitment to those who died to ensure that another such catastrophe would not happen again.
The events that occurred on March 25, 1911 at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory were tragic, and preventable. Unfortunately, without the horrific event the government may have continued to overlook the frightful working conditions of workers. The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory symbolizes the Progressive Movement because the conditions at the factory were representative of most all factory conditions. It is hard to believe that this could have been avoided sparing 146 lives. . However, their deaths were not in vain, because of their sacrifice workplace safety is now a right of all Americans.
Extra Credit Document Worksheet
Students will choose three primary documents from the primary documents presented in their Brief History with Documents reader. Students must answer the following questions for EACH of their documents for the extra credit. You can then use this information in your Reaction paper.
Attach this worksheet at the end of your Reaction paper before you upload into Blackboard

I. Document 1
1. What is the title of the document? Up and Now: An Autobiography
2. Who wrote the document? Describe him/her. Alfred E. Smith, a Democratic Party leader
3. When was the document written? How long after the events described was it written? How does this influence the content of the document? It was written 18 years later. It is a reflection of the improvements that were made in factories and for workers based on the Triangle fire tragedy
4. What is the subject of the document? Provide a brief (2-3 sentence) summary.
Public outcry prompted the need for government regulation for safety and labor laws for women and children. A commission was formed and to regulate factory work conditions.
5. Where does the action contained in this document take place? Is it important to the subject of the document? What is the relationship of the author to the action?
New York State. He was leader of the Democrats in the assembly and one the investigators
6. Why did the author write this document? Who is his audience? What does he hope to gain from writing this document? What is his point of view? All of these questions speak to the author's bias.
To describe the improvements that had been made due to the investigations that were made of the factories. He is writing to the legislation. He writes it for political gain. He writes from the point of view of a safety officer and a politician. He is biased because he has been in the factories and seen the unsafe conditions.
7. Give one example from the document that supports your thesis in the reaction paper and explain how this example supports the argument you are making (tie the point back to the main thesis statement).
That through an appointed governing body change is possible. They were able to propose and pass laws to improve sanitary conditions of factories, regulating labor of women and children and providing fire-preventions measures and regular fire drills.
II. Document 2 (Repeat questions above)
1. What is the title of the document? The Roosevelt I knew
2. Who wrote the document? Describe him/her. Frances Perkins, an eyewitness to the Triangle fire. She was the first woman industrial commissioner in the nation.
3. When was the document written? How long after the events described was it written? How does this influence the content of the document? It was written in 1946, 35 years later. It influences because it is looking back at the cause and effect.
4. What is the subject of the document? Provide a brief (2-3 sentence) summary.
She describes briefly the poor working conditions and how the commission recommends legislation over a period to change in the interest of health and safety.
5. Where does the action contained in this document take place? Is it important to the subject of the document? What is the relationship of the author to the action?
In New York. It is important because this is where the Triangle fire occurred and that is where the legislation started and then was adopted by the rest of America. She was instrumental in the changes that were passed.
6. Why did the author write this document? Who is his audience? What does he hope to gain from writing this document? What is his point of view? All of these questions speak to the author's bias.
It was written to inform people of the events and the led up to the changes in legislation. She wrote it for the American public. This was necessary change. She is biased because these were necessary changes for public health and safety, an area she felt strongly about.
7. Give one example from the document that supports your thesis in the reaction paper and explain how this example supports the argument you are making (tie the point back to the main thesis statement).
After investigations and interviews laws were passed for shorter work day and week for women, limitation of age of children and work, prohibition of night work for women, workers compensation for industrial accidents and measures to prevent industrial accidents.
III. Document 3 (Repeat questions above)
1. What is the title of the document? The Washington Place Fire
2. Who wrote the document? Describe him/her. Rosey Safran, A Jewish immigrant from Austria who was a member of the ILGWU had an important role in the 1909 Shirtwaist strike
3. When was the document written? How long after the events described was it written? How does this influence the content of the document? It is her recollection of the Triangle fire was written shortly after the fire.
4. What is the subject of the document? Provide a brief (2-3 sentence) summary.
She is describing what happened just prior, during and after the fire. She also talks about the shirtwaist strike and how they couldn’t get the union in and if they had things would have been different that fateful day.
5. Where does the action contained in this document take place? Is it important to the subject of the document? What is the relationship of the author to the action?
It was a direct interview with someone who was in the building when the fire broke out and how she escaped while so many others perished. It is very relevant to the document
6. Why did the author write this document? Who is his audience? What does he hope to gain from writing this document? What is his point of view? All of these questions speak to the author's bias.
To inform people what had happened why and how it could have been avoided. It is the author’s bias but it is based on fact.
7. Give one example from the document that supports your thesis in the reaction paper and explain how this example supports the argument you are making (tie the point back to the main thesis statement).
Lives would have been saved if it had been a union shop the doors would have been unlocked and there would have been fire escapes that were functional. This helped start reform in legislation.

--------------------------------------------
[ 1 ]. Argersinger, Jo Ann E. The Triangle fire, A brief history with docuements . (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009), 2.
[ 2 ]. William Shephard, “The New York World,” March 27, 1911
[ 3 ]. Argersinger, Jo Ann E. The Triangle fire, A brief history with docuements . (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009), 25.
[ 4 ]. Alfred E. Smith, “Up and Now: An Autobiography,” 1929.
[ 5 ]. Argersinger, Jo Ann E. The Triangle fire, A brief history with docuements . (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009), 31.
[ 6 ]. Argersinger, Jo Ann E. The Triangle fire, A brief history with docuements . (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009), 31.
[ 7 ]. Argersinger, Jo Ann E. The Triangle fire, A brief history with docuements . (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009), 32.