In 1909, Clara, a recent immigrant to the United

States takes a job sewing clothes in a factory to

support her family when her father cant find a job.
Then after long hours of work she attends school at
night to learn English and get an education.
When Clara finds the work conditions horrible, she
decides to fight back- she STRIKES! No one should
be locked in a building, made to work from sun up
to sun down, be inspected for stealing at the end of
the day and have filthy work conditions, along with
low wages. However, the factory walkouts only
anger the factory owners causing them to get fired,
and to be beaten and jailed by the police. Finally,
at a large labor meeting Clara finally get her chance
to rally other workers to join her cause which
leads to the largest walkout of womens workers in
the history of the United States.
Visit PBS and read a
biography about
Clara Lemlich and
her life.
Curriculum connections: Illustration art, womens history, social change,
comparison of education in 1909 and today, Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, child
labor, life as an immigrant in the early 1900s, persuasive writing
Students Reactions

-You mean they worked and didnt go
to school?
-Clara was really brave for her age.
-Why did people move to the United
States?
-They locked people in? Really?_

Music for slide: Brave by Sara Bareillo