Introduction to the Tragedy

Here is a brief introduction to the incident that the people you researched will be discussing in class on Monday.  Use it to help focus your research and begin thinking about how your person might respond to an event of this sort.

NEAR CLOSING TIME ON MARCH 25, 1911,a fire broke out at the Triangle ShirtWaist Factory in New York City. Within 18 minutes, 146 young immigrant workers were dead as a result

of the fire.The 1911 fire  is one of the worst disasters since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

This incident has had great significance to this day because it highlights the inhumane working conditions to which industrial workers can be subjected. To many, its horrors epitomize the extremes of industrialism.

The tragedy still dwells in the collective memory of the nation and of the international labor movement. The victims of the tragedy are still celebrated as martyrs at the hands of industrial greed.

Kheel Center, Cornell University. The 1911 Triangle Factory Fire, accessed March 5, 2014, http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/index.html

In class today you should be doing the following:

1. Finish your research (remember, all your notes must be put into an organizational system).
2. Work on your paragraphs.  See the back of the assignment sheet for an example.  However, remember to cite your information.  Please ask if you're unsure how.
3. Work on your bibliography.
4. Gather materials to make your poster visually appealing and interesting.

For Monday you must have:

• Your poster containing your list of achievements, beliefs and values, and paragraph. (Remember the poster should have the name of your person at the top and must be visually appealing and interesting.
• Your bibliography attached to the back of your poster.
• Your organized research notes.
• A decorated nametag indicating who you are representing.
• NOTE: 10 points of extra credit if you dress up as your person (really dressing up, not just throwing on a pair of glasses and saying that you are dressed up.  Feel free to be creative with this).