Reread the selection from your textbook about Women in Workplace and the Triangle Fire. Then answer the question that follows in complete sentences. In the textile mills of New England and the tobacco factories of the South, women formed the majority of workers.... They continued to work long hours for low pay. Many labored under unsafe conditions. Then, a tragic event focused attention on the dangers faced by women workers. The workday was just ending on a cool March day in 1911, when a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, a sweatshop in New York City. Within minutes, the upper stories were ablaze. Hundreds of workers raced for the exits, only to find them locked. The company had locked the doors to keep workers at their jobs.... Nearly 150 people, mostly young women, lost their lives in the Triangle Fire. The deaths shocked the public. As a result, New York and other states approved new safety laws to help protect factory workers. Describe the working conditions of women in the workplace in the late 1800s. Why do you think the Triangle Fire changed the way people thought about workers' rights?
In the late 1800s, women in the workplace had to endure long hours, low pay, and unsafe working conditions. They often worked in textile mills and tobacco factories, where they made up the majority of the workforce. Many women were subjected to dangerous conditions and were not given proper protection or safety measures by their employers. The Triangle Fire tragedy highlighted the extreme hazards faced by women workers, as they were locked inside the factory during the fire and consequently lost their lives in large numbers.
The Triangle Fire changed the way people thought about workers' rights because it brought national attention to the plight of working conditions and the lack of safety regulations for factory workers, particularly women. The tragic event shocked the public and raised awareness about the need for better protection and rights for workers. As a result, new safety laws were approved to ensure that employers were held accountable for providing a safe and secure work environment for their employees. The Triangle Fire served as a turning point in the labor movement, leading to increased advocacy for workers' rights and improved working conditions across the United States.