Triangle: The Fire That Changed America

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America is a 2003 nonfiction book by author David Von Drehle. The book examines the 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, in which 146 workers, mostly young immigrant women, were killed. The fire stood for 90 years as the deadliest workplace disaster in New York history. Von Drehle not only recounts the deadly fire near closing time on March 25, 1911, but he also chronicles the immediate years before and after the fire, establishing the social and political climate in which it occurred and the lasting impact that it has had on American politics. Throughout the work, three primary themes emerge: The Role of Immigrant Labor in American Economic Development, The Impact of Industrialization on Labor Conditions, and The Relationship Between Tragedy and Social Reform. In addition to being named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a New York Public Library Book to Remember, Triangle also won a Sidney Hillman Foundation book prize and a Christopher Award.

This study guide reflects the book’s first edition, published by Grove Press.

Summary

Around the turn of the 20th century, the largest wave of immigration in American history coincided with a rapid growth in the garment industry.