Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Have you heard of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire of 1911? You may have heard it mentioned on the radio or TV as it is the 100 year anniversary. It was the catalyst for many of the safety laws enacted that we all enjoy in the workplace.
Back in 1911 many young women were working at the factory when fire broke out. These girls were trapped in the fire by locked doors and insufficient fire escapes. In the end, 146 girls were killed in the fire. An investigation faulted the working conditions of the factory as well as the locked doors as leading to the fire. This tragedy led to new laws about working conditions in factories. But did you know that many of the girls who worked at the factory had walked out on strike 13 months before to protest the conditions at the factory? They were fighting for the right to unionize as well as for safer conditions. Uprising follows three girls who meet during the strike. They come from different backgrounds -- two immigrant factory workers and one rich girl who wanted to help. The three become good friends and fight for the good of all -- until the end. Of the three friends, two die. Who will survive and who will perish?




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