The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire - Wildcat | 1

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2019

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan, claiming the lives of 146 garment workers — mostly women and girls. It was one of the deadliest workplace disasters in American history. Caused by a combination of carelessness and poor safety measures, the fire eventually set off a wave of workplace reforms that changed industry in America and sent New York party politics in a totally different direction.

But in the years before the fire, the workers of the Triangle factory were focused on a different issue — advocating for higher pay. Facing long hours and unsympathetic bosses unwilling to implement change, the women decided they had only one option left.

It was time to go on strike.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:15.9	Imagine it's 430 on March 25, 1911.
0:23.2	You just got off a bit early from your shift at a boutique in Lower Manhattan, selling
0:27.2	perfume and giving samples to female shoppers.
0:30.3	You're on your way to Washington Square Park to meet your friend Winston.
0:34.4	He's usually loafing around the game tables this time of day and you're hoping to surprise
0:38.2	him.
0:39.4	As you approach the park, a performer and a tuxedo passes you on stilts, women and wide-brimmed
0:44.5	hats glide by in pairs, carefully step around the horse droppings near the entrance, and
0:49.8	look around for Winston.
0:51.9	You spot him by the chocolate ice cart and wave.
0:58.4	He's beaming.
0:59.4	He's asked you to go steady but you haven't yet made a decision about what comes next.
1:03.7	In spite of the long hours you like working, you're not sure you're ready to settle down
1:07.8	yet.
1:08.8	You have great timing because guess what, I'm buying a motor car.
1:12.8	Really, you're kidding.
1:14.7	Winston comes from old money.
1:16.6	He grew up in the city, unlike yourself, and he's always got some new scheme going.
1:21.3	It's a Ford Model T, none of this imported German business.
1:25.4	Got to buy American.
	...

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