Gregory's Research Notes: Gregory Has Already Gathered Some

Gregorys Research Notesgregory Has Already Gathered Some Research On

Gregory has already gathered some research on two topics and would like you to write a sample article on one of the topics he’s chosen. The sources below are formatted according to MLA style. Gregory strongly recommended using the resources below, since he has already validated that they are authoritative and identified them as either primary or secondary. You may search for additional sources related to these topics, but they must be primary or secondary sources.

Option One: The Triangle Shirtwaist Company

Secondary Sources

  • "If Union Families Don't Look for the Union Label, Who Will?" Family in Society: Essential Primary Sources, edited by K. Lee Lerner, et al., 2006, pp., link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=e85f0689. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • Margolis, Tina. "Constructed Memory and the Paradox of Empathy: Reconsidering an Image of the Triangle Fire." Afterimage, vol. 39 ½, July-Oct. 2011, pp. 25-28, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=ba13717a. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "New York Worker's Compensation Act." American Decades Primary Sources, edited by Cynthia Rose, vol. 2, 2004, pp., link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=52419ac8. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "Rose Freedman." Gale Biography in Context, 2018, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=6181b236. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "Rose Schneiderman." Historic World Leaders, edited by Anne Commire, 1994, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=77ff536e. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • Stein, Leon. The Triangle Fire. Cornell University Press, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). ebk&AN=671612&site=eds-live&scope=site Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)

Primary Sources

  • "Firefighters Work to Extinguish the Fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City." American Decades Primary Sources, edited by Cynthia Rose, vol. 2, 2004, pp., link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=488b810b. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "National Labor Relations Act." Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources, edited by Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, et al., 2006, pp., link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=6593e33d. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • New York (State). Preliminary Report of the Factory Investigating Commission. Factory Investigating Commission, 1912. Hathitrust Digital Library, catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/. Accessed 16 July 2018.
  • "Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire." UPI Photo Collection, 2011, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CT/BIC?u=nhc_main&sid=BIC&xid=3e7f2d78. Accessed 8 June 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • Underwood & Underwood. “In a New York Tenement House - The Whole family at Work Taking Out the Pecan Kernels,” 1911, Library of Congress, Accessed 18 July 2018.
  • “Why We Lack Servants.” 1911. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times, ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url= com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/?accountid=3783. Accessed 18 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)

Option Two: The Ford Assembly Line

Secondary Sources:

  • Beetz, Kirk H. "Assembly Line." Dictionary of American History, edited by Stanley I. Kutler, 3rd ed., vol. 1, 2003, pp., U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=b3148fd8. Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "Henry Ford's Quest for Americanized Workers, and the Creation of the Ford English School." Henry Ford’s Quest for Americanized Workers, and the Creation of the Ford English School, 23 Aug. 2016. U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/NBCBIU/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=4c6bd35e. Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "Model T: The Car for the Masses." Science and Its Times, edited by Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer, vol. 6, 2001. U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=8bdee597. Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "The Development of Mass Production Has a Dramatic Impact on Industry and Society." Science and Its Times, edited by Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer, vol. 6, Gale, 2001. U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=ce16a1b6. Accessed 13 July 2018.
  • "The Middle Class Took Off 100 Years Ago . . . Thanks To Henry Ford?" All Things Considered, 27 Jan. 2014. U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=c. Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • "Workers in the Industrial Age." Development of the Industrial U.S. Reference Library, edited by Sonia G. Benson, et al., vol. 1: Almanac, UXL, 2006, pp., U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=da3d2f21. Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)

Primary Sources:

  • Detroit Publishing Co. Photo of Assembly. “Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog”, by Detroit Publishing Co, 1923. Library of Congress, Accessed 18 July 2018.
  • Ford, Henry. "Henry Ford Comments on the Assembly Line." Gale U.S. History in Context, 2015, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/DHFOSM/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=e35ecd10 . Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • ---. “Interview by Fay Leone Faurote.” My philosophy of industry, New York: Coward-McCann, 1929, catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/. Accessed 18 July 2018.
  • Ford Motor Company. “Ford Model T Assembly Line (1919).” YouTube, uploaded by TheHenryFord, 26 May 2009, youtu.be/Pf8d4NE8XPw. Accessed 18 July 2018.
  • ---. “MODEL T ASSEMBLY AND LAUNCHING OF THE HENRY FORD II.” 1924, National Archives, catalog.archives.gov/id/91105. Accessed 18 July 2018.
  • “GIVES $10,000,000 To 26,000 EMPLOYEES: Ford to Run Automobile Plant 24 Hours Daily on Profit-Sharing Plan.” The New York Times, 5 Jan. 1914, Special Edition, p. 1, ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times, ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url= Accessed 18 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)
  • Stokes, Rose Pastor. "Excerpt from I Belong to the Working Class." World War I and the Jazz Age, Primary Source Media, 1999. American Journey. U.S. History In Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ/UHIC?u=nhc_main&sid=UHIC&xid=48f02d0b. Accessed 12 July 2018. (From the Shapiro Library)

Paper For Above instruction

The development of manufacturing processes and labor practices during the early 20th century significantly shaped American industry and society. Two pivotal topics exemplify this transformation: the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and Henry Ford’s revolutionary assembly line. This paper explores both topics through authoritative primary and secondary sources, analyzing their historical contexts, implications, and lasting impacts on labor rights, industrial efficiency, and social mobility.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: Catalyst for Labor Reforms

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 was a devastating industrial disaster that resulted in the deaths of 146 garment workers in New York City. The fire, which originated in a crowded, poorly regulated factory, highlighted the hazardous working conditions faced by immigrant laborers, especially women and children. As documented in primary sources such as the "Firefighters Work to Extinguish the Fire" (American Decades Primary Sources, 2004) and the "Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire" photograph collection (Gale, 2011), the tragedy exposed safety violations, inadequate fire escapes, and insufficient regulations that allowed such disasters to occur (Stein, 2011). Secondary analyses, including Tina Margolis’s work on constructed memory and empathy (2011), delve into the social aftermath, illustrating how public outrage following the fire spurred significant labor reforms.

The fire served as a wake-up call, prompting legislation like the New York State Factory Investigating Commission’s report of 1912, which advocated safer working conditions and stricter oversight. The tragedy also galvanized labor unions, such as the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, and inspired prominent activists like Rose Schneiderman, who famously declared, “The workers must have bread, but they must also have roses,” emphasizing the importance of dignity and safety at work (Rose Schneiderman, 1994). These events shifted public consciousness and led to the enactment of workers’ compensation laws, fundamentally transforming industrial labor policies (American Decades Primary Sources, 2004).

Henry Ford and the Rise of Mass Production

Henry Ford’s implementation of the moving assembly line revolutionized automobile manufacturing, drastically reducing production costs and democratizing car ownership. As detailed in primary sources such as Ford’s 1929 interview (Hathitrust Digital Library) and the 1919 Ford Model T Assembly Line footage (YouTube), Ford’s innovations allowed for mass production of the Model T—a vehicle referred to as “the car for the masses” (Schlager & Lauer, 2001). This method involved dividing labor into simple, repetitive tasks, which increased efficiency and output (Beetz, 2003).

The utilization of assembly line techniques was complemented by Ford’s initiatives to modernize the workforce. Ford's English School aimed to assimilate immigrant workers into American industrial society, emphasizing standardized language skills and work habits (Henry Ford’s Quest for Americanized Workers, 2016). The impact extended beyond manufacturing; it contributed to the growth of a middle class that benefited from increased employment and economic mobility. The "Gives $10,000,000 to 26,000 Employees" article (The New York Times, 1914) documented Ford’s profit-sharing plans that incentivized productivity and fostered employee loyalty, illustrating how industrial innovation also promoted company-provided social benefits (Schlager & Lauer, 2001).

Implications and Lasting Legacy

The tragic lessons of the Triangle fire catalyzed vital labor reforms, shaping workplace safety standards that endure today. The fire’s aftermath demonstrated how public awareness and activism could influence policy and corporate responsibility. Conversely, Ford’s assembly line epitomized technological progress that increased productivity and social mobility, though it also raised concerns about labor dehumanization and repetitive work (Stokes, 1999). The intersection of these developments reflects the complex relationship between industrial efficiency, worker welfare, and societal change in the early 20th century. Both the Triangle fire and Ford’s innovations underscore the importance of balancing technological advancements with genuine concern for labor rights.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the early 20th-century industrial landscape was profoundly shaped by tragic events and groundbreaking innovations. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire served as a tragic catalyst for positive reform, emphasizing safety and workers’ rights. Meanwhile, Henry Ford’s assembly line exemplified how technological progress could transform manufacturing and social structure. Analyzing these topics through primary and secondary sources reveals their enduring influence on industrial practices and labor policies, illustrating the ongoing tension between progress and protection in American history.

References

  • Beetz, Kirk H. "Assembly Line." Dictionary of American History, edited by Stanley I. Kutler, 3rd ed., vol. 1, 2003, pp., U.S. History In Context, Gale.
  • Ford, Henry. "Henry Ford Comments on the Assembly Line." Gale U.S. History in Context, 2015.
  • Henry Ford's Quest for Americanized Workers, and the Creation of the Ford English School. (2016). U.S. History In Context.
  • Margolis, Tina. "Constructed Memory and the Paradox of Empathy: Reconsidering an Image of the Triangle Fire." Afterimage, vol. 39 ½, July-Oct. 2011, pp. 25-28.
  • Schlager, Neil, and Josh Lauer, editors. Science and Its Times. vol. 6, 2001, U.S. History In Context.
  • Stokes, Rose Pastor. "Excerpt from I Belong to the Working Class." World War I and the Jazz Age, 1999.
  • Stein, Leon. The Triangle Fire. Cornell University Press, 2011.
  • “Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.” UPI Photo Collection, 2011.
  • "The Development of Mass Production Has a Dramatic Impact on Industry and Society." Science and Its Times, 2001.
  • "GIVES $10,000,000 To 26,000 EMPLOYEES: Ford to Run Automobile Plant 24 Hours Daily on Profit-Sharing Plan." The New York Times, 1914.