Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Picture this: you're at school one day when a fire breaks out in the cafeteria. You run for the door hoping to get out as smoke is pouring into the hallway, only when you reach the door, you find that it has been locked from the outside. You can't get out. You begin scrambling for another exit. If you try to get back down the hallway you will be burned alive, if you try to jump out the window you could be seriously injured by the glass, or fall. 

How would you feel if you did survive? Confused? Betrayed? Angry? School is supposed to be safe, the teachers and principals are there to protect you from just this situation and they did nothing to help you, in fact, you begin to wonder why the doors were locked in the first place...

Now imagine how your parents would feel if you were one of the lives lost in the fire...

One sunny morning in New York, at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, tradgedy struck in form of a fire on the tenth floor. Over one hundred people died in the fire, not because the blaze was that catastrophic, but simply because the building wasn't up to code and the owners didn't see the need in protecting their workers. Worrying about the bottom line led to loss of life on a level that started a movement called progressivism in America. 

Over the next few days you are going to read testimony from the trial conducted after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Your task is to ultimately reach a conclusion as to who was at fault, and be able to explain how this particular fire contributed to the rise of progressivism in America.

You will read the following excerpts from the trial:

• Opening statements and fire code reviews
• View images post fire
• News articles on the fire
• Testimony from workers
• Closing arguments from both sides

You will be expected to write:

• An argumentative paragraph after only examining opening statements and fire code reviews
• A compare and contrast paragraph on two news articles about the fire
• A two paragraph final essay on who was at fault for the fire

This WebQuest will require you to read and gather evidence from multiple sources (including primary sources) to write argumentative pieces.

There are three days of work for you to complete. Each day is listed below and and the tasks for that day are oulined with links to the material to be covered on that day. If you have any questions, please ask!

Day One: Today you will be reading the introduction to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire trial,  fire codes and inspection results for the building after the fire occured. You will also be reading the opening statement made by the Defense Attorney. Below are the tasks you need to complete today.

• Read the introduction to the Trial and watch the short video about the fire.
• Answer the video questions and complete the major players worksheet. 
• Read the opening statement made by the defense and answer questions on the major players worksheet.
• Write one paragraph stating who you think is responsible for the fire based on only what you read today. Be sure to use evidence from the reading to support your opinon. 

Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKdMuVu1wi8

Fire Inspection Report:

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/triangle/trianglescodes.h…

Day Two: Today you will be delving into the representation of the trial by the newspapers of the time. Your job will be to decide which newspaper article is presenting the unbiased truth and which is skewing the facts to fit their point of view. Below are the tasks you need to complete today.

• Read the newspaper articles collected at the time of the fire. 
• Look for examples of bias in each article and put them on the bias worksheet.
• Write a one paragraph compare and contrast of the articles stating which one appears to be biased. 

Day Three: Today you will read selected testemony from the trial as well as the closing arguments from each side. Below are the tasks you need to complete today.

• Read the testemony and closing arguments from the trial.
• Answer questions on the testimony and arguments worksheet.
• Gather evidence from all three day's reading to fill in your essay outline. 
• Write a two paragraph essay explaining who you think was responsible for the tragedy, utilizing evidence from all three day's reading to support your opinion. 

You will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Completion of the major players and video questions worksheets. (formative)
• Completion of argumentative paragraph (did you state your opinion, did you use evidence from the reading to supoort that opinion) (summative)
• Completion of bias worksheet (formative)
• Completion of compare and contrast paragraph (did you compare and contrast the articles including similarities and differences, did you state which one is biased) (summative)
• Completion of testemony and argument worksheet (formative)
• Completion of essay outline with evidence from all three day's reading (formative)
• Completion of argumentative essay (did you state your opinion, did you use evidence from all three day's reading to support your opinon) (summative)

"The Triangle fire was the result of the unsafe working conditions and inhumane policies maintained at workplaces in the heyday of laissez-faire capitalism in the United States. The tragedy of its hundreds of deaths started a reform movement in government to create workplace safety regulations, resulting in the relatively safe working conditions we enjoy today. What comes out of this  is the clear message that the Triangle fire is why we have workplace safety regulations and that the government is exercising proper authority in enforcing them."

In essence, the Triangle fire was the end of corruption in industrial America and the beginning of a push towards progressivism which called for worker's rights, government reform and the downfall of the fat-cats running most industries of the day. 

Over the next few days we will be focusing on the progressive movement and how it changed America forever.