Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire In The Gilded Age

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After the Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era can be stated as the period of rapid reformations on varies objectives. The Progressive Era not only helped to increase the economic incomes for the entire nation, but also solved different types of social issues. Numerous of regulations and prohibitions were ratified during the time and even though the main goal of the movement was focus on the governmental issues, it did help to protect the rights of many people. Like every coin has its two sides, there were also darkness within this era. As freedom expanded for the entire society, some historical incidents had clearly proven that the rights of certain groups were still limited. The case of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in …show more content…
Compare to the Reconstruction period, people were looking forward to the growth of industrial revolution and willing to move into the city for job opportunities. The percentage lived in the city increased within a fast rate and “The United States counted twenty-one cities whose population exceeded 100,000 in 1910, the largest of them New York, with 4.7 million residents.” (Foner, p.546) The rapid development of economic also opened more opportunities for both immigrant families from overseas as well as young women working in the urban areas. As also revealed on table 18.2 and 18.3 in page 547 and 549 of the book Give Me Liberty, there were huge growth in the labor force from both groups of people. Young women were given more rights to work and be independent from their families. The large scale of immigrants was provided with more freedoms for either living or working on the “land of free.” As the workers gained the opportunities to work, they also formed small communities in the city. By doing so, people expanded their freedoms on their activities and the connections for their groups instead of local …show more content…
As the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire indicated, there were huge potential safety risk for workers. The indifference of poor working conditions was one of the main causes to this tragedy. On the other hand, the distrust between the owner and employees caused him to check their belongings before they leave the work places. This action caused the violation of right as individual and as stated in the second paragraph of the paper, the main stairway was locked because of daily security search. If the main stairway was opened or more frequently remove of scraps in working conditions, less people would die in the fire. Besides the dangerous working conditions, they were also getting low wages and long working hours. With the number of workers available in the city, owner could easily replace one to other for lower wages. This circumstance was even more common towards the immigrant and female workers. According to Foner, “Here some 500 workers, mostly young Jewish and Italian immigrant women, toiled at sewing machines producing ladies’ blouses, some earning as little as three dollars per week” (page 544). People’s right to fair wages was constrain in the hands of their owners and even with increase of opportunities, they only could work hard for
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