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Loading... Uprising (2007)by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. "Uprising" paints a vivid picture of life in New York City in the early 1900s. Three Jewish immigrants and one socialite are the main characters. Page by page their daily lives are described and used as prologue to the issues of union organizing and striking, and the deplorable working conditions in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. Young readers can gain some insight into the reasons for labor unions and how striking workers can sometimes improve factory working conditions. Issues of women's suffrage are also presented in an anecdotal manner and describe the plight of young women who have no voice and are often deprived of a college education because they are female. The book ends with a twist and is generally able to capture the reader's interest. - Jane M. no reviews | add a review
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In 1927, at the urging of twenty-one-year-old Harriet, Mrs. Livingston reluctantly recalls her experiences at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, including miserable working conditions that led to a strike, then the fire that took the lives of her two best friends, when Harriet, the boss's daughter, was only five years old. Includes historical notes. No library descriptions found.
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Two of the main characters, Bella and Yetta were employed at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory while the third, Jane, was a runaway daughter of a wealthy businessman. She lived with Bella and Yetta and worked as the governess to the two daughters of one of the owners of the factory. On the day of the fire, March 25, 1911, Bella and Yetta are at work and Jane has brought her charges to visit their father at work. The fire begins on the 8th floor where Yetta works and quickly spreads to the 9th and 10th floors where Bella and Jane are. From the beginning of the book, you are informed that only one of three friends will survive.
One of the worst workplace disasters in history, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire claimed the lives of 146 workers. Although there was no safety plans, the fire escape collapsed, and exit stairways were locked, the owners were granted a “no-fault” insurance claim of more than sixty thousand dollars which enabled them to reopen their factory and once again exploit young immigrant girls. Recognized unions and workplace reforms took another decade to be put in place. I found Uprising to be a very good read. The author was able to describe the horrific conditions of the workplace as well as giving the reader a clear picture of how the immigrant workforce lived in the early 20th century. ( )