Triangle Factory Dbq

During the 1900s sweatshop like conditions were a norm for many factory workers, this also included the workers at the triangle factory. Conditions of the factories and shops (near 500) were not held up to par because, most factory staff was made up of immigrants who came to America in search of the American dream and ended up in the ghettos trying to survive. The conditions of the factories were challenged and some changes were made, but as Samuel Gompers said, “women had to burn in order to spur government action on labor safety” (Triangle fire a teacher's guide). In 1909 20,000 to 30,000 garment industry workers went on strike seeking better pay, shorter hours, safer working conditions and most importantly unionization (TIMELINE OF EVENTS). Although the Triangle factory was seen as a …show more content…
Although the strikers were beaten, taken to jail and persecuted every day, more and more women joined the fight for safer work conditions and unionization. November 25, 1909 a fire erupted at a four story factory in New Jersey causing 25 factory worker deaths (TIMELINE OF EVENTS). After the fire in Newark, New Jersey the New York City fire chief stated that New York may have a fire even more deadly any time soon because the buildings in New York were just as unsafe as the building destroyed in Newark (TIMELINE OF EVENTS). By the end of November 1909 thousands of workers joined at Cooper Station to propose an industry wide strike against 500 companies (Film). During this meeting a young woman (Clara Lemlich) stood on the platform, called for a general strike and took the Jewish oath of solidarity (TIMELINE OF EVENTS). The next day woman in shops around the city waited for the signal to leave but it only took one person from each factory to stand and walk out causing the rest of the workers to follow