Mention one new detail that you learned from the documentary segment that none of your classmates have commented on in previous responses.
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October 6, 2017 at 8:57 pm
From watching this documentary segment, I learned that ever since the subway system of New York City opened up in 1904, it was proclaimed as, and still can arguably be considered as the most extensive and comprehensive subway system the world has ever seen. New York City borrowed the idea of a subway system from industrialized and famous cities like London and Paris, but none of their subways compared to the Interborough Rapid Transit (I.R.T.) system of New York City. The things that made the I.R.T. unique compared to other standard railroad systems is that the subway system of New York City went underground, had multiple different lines that traveled to all parts of the city. You would be able to travel from City Hall up to Grand Central Station, as well as traveling from Times Square all the way uptown on the West Side. The most intriguing part of the New York City subway system is that they introduced an express track, a train line that would run express from one far distance to another, making distance/travel time much shorter and quicker, overall, much more convenient for the people of New York City. This express track was first introduced in New York CIty and not in no other city or country around the world, making the subway system of New York such a unique component of life in New York City.
October 6, 2017 at 11:48 pm
On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York City. Hundreds of young girls were working under unsafe conditions which led to the death of 145 workers. The doors were locked and people were full of fear as they heard the cloth behind them light up in flames. As said in the documentary, most of the workers from the tenth floor were able to escape and they were moved to adjoining rooftops with the help of students from NYU. It is interesting to hear that even back in 1911, NYU had an impact on the civilians of the city. Now, the college campus is spread around the city so I recognized the building when looking at the pictures. I found out that NYU currently owns this property and after looking at the NYU website, I was interested to come across a public safety officer, Dennis Kroner, who informally knows a lot of information about the building. From his walks in the corridors, he mentioned, “I know the building is haunted, because you can feel it, but I’ve never seen ghosts or anything.” Regardless if you believe in supernatural activity or not, the terrifying history can alone frighten a person. It is so upsetting to know that this situation could have been avoided just by some safety regulations. However, I am glad to know NYU does not forget this tragic event and has a special exhibitions every now and then to commemorate those who passed in the ghastly fire.
October 7, 2017 at 6:52 pm
In watching the Power of the People, Part 2, I learned more about the two great New York train stations that were built at the start of the 20th century. The twin stations- Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station were built just 12 blocks from each other in Midtown Manhattan and were the amongst the greatest feats of their time. Pennsylvania Station opened in 1910 and was titled the largest and ‘handsomest’ station of all time. The Pennsylvania Station was for the Pennsylvania railroad which tunneled under the Hudson and came up at 34th and 7th street. It was created to stand the test of time. As a commuter from Long Island, I commute to and from Pennsylvania station every day; I am astounded by how the station was built over a century ago, yet still serves as the main intercity railroad station where hundreds of thousands of commuters pass through daily. The Baths of Caracalla from Rome were used as architectural inspiration in cultivating the design for Pennsylvania Station. Soon after, Grand Central Terminal opened on 42nd and Park Avenue. Mercury, the winged god of speed, was a massive statue that adorned the building to reflect the innovation of subways and trains which made transportation more efficient than ever within New York City. Inside, the massive ceiling was adorned with stars, to appear as though it mimicked the vastness of the night sky. The great conversational area is more of an artistic architectural choice than a practical one, and is one of the most iconic New York structures of all time. The architecture reflected the beauty of Rome, and even the lighting in the room served to reflect the progression of time. This room is an ode to stillness and personal interaction in the fast-paced city of New York.
October 8, 2017 at 12:48 pm
After the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory, many were able to see how the poor conditions created a tragic ending for many. Although it was a depressing situation, it brought the citizen of New York City together and encouraged reform to be brought to the industrialization period. Al Smith, for example, was one of the influential individuals who fought for reforms in the factory industry. He was part of the factory commission and went on many factory tours in New York City to observe the hazardous conditions. Never missing a trip, he viewed the devastations that the workers had to experience such as the poor lighting and ventilation system within the rooms. Additionally, he was able to gather many witnesses and hear their testimonies on the difficulties of working in such conditions. The factory commission was surprised by the inhumane issues and created numerous labor laws. This included laws for hours and wages, disability compensation, and women’s labors laws. They also put a limitation on the working ages to protect children who were under fourteen from working. This was an inspiring moment because although people despised Al Smith, he still continued to fight for their rights and reform. He was able to change factory life and it allowed the employees to work in better conditions. The improvements included proper ventilation with windows, lighting systems, washrooms and safety during fires to prevent another tragedy again.
October 9, 2017 at 12:05 pm
One detail that I learned from watching this documentary segment is that the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company were found not guilty of any crimes related to the terrible fire that occurred at their factory. Even though the owners were looked down upon for locking their workers in the factory and making it impossible for them to escape, they did not actually break any laws. This apparent injustice sparked a number of heated protests which would eventually lead to laws being passed to prevent an incident like this from happening again in the future.
October 9, 2017 at 4:03 pm
After watching this documentary segment, I was shocked to learn that conditions in sweatshops were worse than I had even imagined. Workers had their paychecks docked for talking or even humming on the job. Talking sometimes even resulted in the worker being immediately fired. In addition, workers had to carry the machines to and from work. I had always thought the machines would be left in the factory but some workers actually had to carry them. It was essentially modern-day slavery. This was because it was laissez-faire at its worst as they said in the documentary. There was no regulation for anything like wages, hours, and working conditions. Many workers even went up to Albany to plead for the government to intervene. However, it was not until the tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire that change was implemented. Very often, society turns a blind eye to injustices until an event like this occurs. It was Charles Murphy and his protégé, Al Smith, who took the opportunity to bring about reform for factory workers.
October 9, 2017 at 4:12 pm
The Triangle Shirtwaist factory sparked social reforms that have significantly improved labor conditions in New York. Surprisingly, it was Charles Francis Murphy, the leader of the corrupt Tammany Hall who initiated the reform. At the time, a majority of the city was shocked by the deaths resulting from the fire. In need of political support from the people, Murphy ordered further investigation on the incident. He received information from sanitation workers, firemen, health officials, labor unions, and more than 200 witnesses of the fire. This influenced the Factory Commission to set fire protection laws, staircases, sufficient lighting, adequate ventilation, fire sprinklers, and restrooms for factory workers. Additionally, machinery would be properly regulated to reduce the risk of accidents. Women were also limited to 54 hours per week of labor and children under 14 were forbidden from working in factories. These safety regulation were instituted as part of a social reform, but this had also initiated political reform in New York. Prior to the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, political power lies in the hands of corrupt politicians like William M. Tweed, who rigged the voting system and abused his powers to benefit himself. However, this incident had shifted the balance of power between the state government and the people. While corruption still existed in the roots of the government, the voices of the people were empowered, and the actions of the state addressed more of their problems than it ever did. Gaining political power became less about gaining control. Rather, it was more about gaining support from the people by benefiting and improving their quality of life. As a result, a more representative government is established and labor conditions and rights has drastically changed.
October 9, 2017 at 4:13 pm
In watching this part of the documentary, I learned that initial the cost of a subway ride after its construction was a nickel. This was unlike the pricing of many other transit systems across the U.S. and in Europe, where the price you paid was relative to the distance you traveled. Now, individuals living well away from the city, where it was more likely less expensive to live, could travel to the urban center for work or leisure, paying the same flat fee as someone living just across the river. The documentary mentioned that a round trip to Coney Island cost just ten cents, making it an accessible trip even for the poor, unlike trips to many other beaches, which required long travel making them more exclusive to the rich. This flat fee was a great way of shrinking class divides in the growing city, at least in terms of access to certain areas. I was reminded of a recent article I read in the Atlantic, “Stranded: How America’s Failing Public Transportation Increases Inequality”, which discussed a recent NYU study that showed how poor access to public transport directly correlated with increased unemployment and lower income, as “access to just about everything associated with upward mobility and economic progress…relies on the ability to get around in an efficient way, and for an affordable price.” In this way, a transit system with an affordable flat fee that made many parts of the city accessible to all, could shrink the divide between rich and poor, if even by a little.
October 9, 2017 at 7:48 pm
After seeing the segment of the documentary, I was surprised by the fact that New York’s transportation had evolved so quickly as compared to other cities at the time. The documentary mentions not only the introduction of the subway system but also the harbors of New York City. To begin, the subway system was way ahead of its time. The construction of something that enormous in the busiest city in North America is one of the greatest feats of recent history. Moreover, subway innovations such as the express train allowed New Yorkers to commute quicker than ever before. This combined with the sheer amount of trains and tracks outcompeted other city transportation systems of the time. On the other hand, steamboats and the harbors of New York City enabled thousands of immigrants to venture to America. It was said that the ferries were able to carry up to three thousand people at a time and at its busiest, Ellis Island took in more than eleven thousand immigrants in less than twelve hours. I find it so fascinating that at the time nearly forty percent of New York City’s population was foreign. And, thanks to these innovations in transportation, New Yorkers were able to get around like never before.
October 9, 2017 at 8:05 pm
One of the things I learned about was the Hudson-Fulton celebration that took place in September 1909; 300 years after Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River and a century after Fulton launched his steam boat. It was a celebration about the growth that had been enabled by the expansion outward into the boroughs and the island due to new bridges and passage ways for ships. The celebration took place for 10 days where many people would stop by to see a procession of ships coming in and out of the harbor. Wilbur Wright even flew a plane across it for the celebration. It ended when buildings, bridges, and ships were lit up one night in October with lights provided by the Edison Company. The New York Times described it as if the city was glittering all around and where the light could be seen from far away.
October 9, 2017 at 8:38 pm
Based on the document episode assigned for this thread, one new thing that I learned was about Smith and the Factory Commission. While I assumed that the presence of reformation was inevitable due to the large array of issues that would have existed in such a city, the documentary described this group like a knight in shining armor in some sort of fairy tale. The concept of large, organized efforts to help the needy (not only those in poor working conditions, but those disadvantaged to race, as well as the disabled) seemed to only exist in today’s world. At least to me, I used to believe that social reformation was a rather modern concept, with all of these humanitarian organizations that keeps tabs on other organizations and state governments. But based on the documentary, it was great to learn how there were serious and successful efforts for legislative reformation to combat social issues. I wouldn’t have expected this in a city so driven by economic agendas (as social reformation often demands funds to be devoted towards other things other than increasing the revenue of a company, something many rich people would never consider).
October 9, 2017 at 11:29 pm
Although having been to Grand Central several times, the history and architecture of it was completely knew to me. Built in 1913, it has now been standing for over a century. For such an intricate and massive structure, it’s an architectural feat above its time. Atop Grand Central is actually a statue of the Roman God of speed, Mercury. It conveys the fast movement and easy travel that embodies Grand Central. Also, it fits with the Roman styled architecture of Grand Central. Its domed ceiling is painted with a beautiful sky, showing numerous constellations. Outside, its grand pillars can be spotted from miles away. Grand Central, along with Pennsylvania Station, are the traveling hubs of NYC, embodying all what make New York City so great.
October 10, 2017 at 12:51 am
One of the most interesting segments of this part of the documentary was the segment in which was discussed the Uprising of the 20,000. This Uprising was the beginning of change and of reform for the abandoned lower class. The Uprising started off with the daughters of Southern Italian Immigrants and Eastern European Jews. They came up with the idea of approaching the system not through series of smaller strikes aimed at particular manufacturers, but rather through a general strike that would resonate throughout the industry as a whole. On November 22, 1909, 3,000 women (most of them teenagers) gathered at the Great Hall of Cooper Union and stood their ground against the crowds of men that formed against them. The very next morning, 15, 000 shirtwaist workers abandoned their posts at their jobs and armed themselves with picket signs instead. In a matter of days, 5,000 more joined. They moved themselves down to Union Square, which gained its name at this point in time. The most shocking thing about this incident for me was that I had never learned of this before. I had no idea that the largest strike of women ever known in the United States took place in this era. Even with the population of the time being comparably less than what it is now, the movement attracted a slew of people regardless of age and social status. None of the people involved cared that they could freeze in the harsh winter so long as their suffering could bring about the possibility of change. And though they technically failed by not achieving what they had set out to do, the Uprising showed the huddled masses of New York City that there were people on their side too and that help would come.
October 10, 2017 at 12:57 am
While watching this documentary segment, I learned about the political rise of Alfred E. Smith. After the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, concerned citizens sought reform from the state legislature in Albany. Tammany Hall’s “Silent Charlie” Murphy placed Al Smith in charge of the new factory investigative commission that was tasked with investigating working conditions in factories throughout the state. Al Smith’s role in the investigation helped to shape and define his political career. Smith became a leader of social welfare reform in New York and helped to pass major pieces of legislation that improved working conditions and rights for workers. In 1918, Smith was elected as Governor of New York. His election was a major victory for the immigrants of America. No other politician in New York history did more than Al Smith to make government answerable to the people and transform democracy. He channeled the policies of the state to meet the needs of the many immigrants like himself and gave them a voice unlike any other politician before him.
October 10, 2017 at 1:32 am
I had previously never known the extent to which the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire had acted as a turning point in the fight for social welfare legislation. People all over the city were so struck by the death count, and by images of the falling, burning bodies, that the entire city felt responsible for ensuring that there were laws in place to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Concerned citizens and reform activists had to turn to Charles Murphy, head of Tammany Hall, a famous political machine, as their only hope for a leader who could enact changes. Considering his history of shrewd tactics, the people expected very little from him.
However, Charles Murphy understood that, to remain in good standing, he would have to consider the changing political scene in the city at the time. He could no longer appeal to just one group of immigrants, for instance the Irish, and would have to find ways to please all the other groups of immigrants that now made up a large part of the city’s population. He also would have to compete with other emerging politicians, particularly socialists and progressive republicans. To reformers’ surprise, he supported a factory investigation, and put two important figures, Robert F. Wagner Jr and Al Smith on the job. The four year long factory investigation led to more than 200 witnesses being brought to testify, and also led to a statewide tour of factories, which was unprecedented. Al Smith took his job on this investigation very seriously. When it came time to write new laws, Al Smith, despite having little education, became the biggest weapon for social and labour reform.
October 10, 2017 at 2:31 am
While watching this documentary, I was surprised by the speed at which the subway system evolved. The subway system looked like a “national railroad underground.” The train system was totally un-European. This transit system consists of both the local and express trains and the initial fare was a nickel. Everyone paid the same flat fee.
Along with this, I also learned of the terrible sweatshop conditions. I never understood that it was so bad to the point where workers can get fired if caught talking or even humming. Some other facts were that workers were not allowed to use the bathroom, they were locked into a space, and they worked about 16-20 hours per day. I also always assumed that machines were always at the factories but then I learned that these workers carried them on their backs to and from work everyday.
Then comes the greatest industrial disaster in the city’s history, the triangle shirtwaist factory fire. Fire broke out on the eighth floor and rapidly spread to the ninth. Workers were trapped because the doors were locked. Many died from either smoke inhalation, jumping out of buildings, or burning to death. Several workers on the tenth floor were able to escape through the help of NYU students. These factory workers were the same workers that protested for better working conditions and safety precautions the year before. The owners of the factory were tried for manslaughter. I found it awful that the owners were not found guilty in the end. The two men were acquitted because there was no proof that these men had broken any laws. For a similar tragedy to never take place again, new laws were formed.
October 10, 2017 at 6:38 am
I had known that the working conditions of the factories were less than satisfactory even for the time period, but I had been unaware of the extent to which the workers were punished for doing things that are deemed normal in today’s society. For instance, talking or humming on the job seems completely natural, given the monotonous nature of factory jobs, but the workers were either fired or had their pay docked if they were caught doing so. If the tasks were menial enough for children to be doing them from sunrise until sunset, one would assume that the quotas for items would still be met even if the workers were doing something as insignificant as humming. I had also assumed that the factories were equipped with their own sewing machines, but the video revealed that the workers had to bring their own machines and carry them back home as well. I wondered why more workers did not work from home if they already had their own machines, instead of enduring the horrible working conditions. Additionally, the fire exits being locked was arguably the most mindless act of greedy factory owners, as the action destroys the purpose of having fire exits in the first place. In that respect, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory fire was inevitable, as the removal of the readily available exits effectively eliminated the only solution to escaping the highly flammable environment.
October 10, 2017 at 9:07 am
One of the most impressive parts of this documentary was the explanation of how the outer boroughs were linked to manhattan. The documentary explained how the subway system held connect manhattan, decrease commute times, and allow for people to move to the outer boroughs of New York. According to the documentary, the subway system-to this day- is one of the most extensive other ever built. I was surprised by the fact that it was built by a private company – the Inter-borough Rapid Transit Company- in just four years. The documentary stated that most of the workforce consisted of Italian Americans and the company laid out over 20 miles of subway paths and did so by opening up the streets but not disturbing the everyday operations of New York City. The documentary also explained the origins of Penn Station and Grand Central Station, opening in 1910 and 1913 respectively. And amazes me-as a I pass by these structures- is the extensive use of these facilities to this day.
October 10, 2017 at 9:31 am
Although this entire documentary was an exciting collection of New York City history, one fact that was especially surprising to me was that the majority of the Subway system was built in a mere 4 years. A resident of the Upper East Side, I recently became aware of how it took nearly 10 years to complete the Second Avenue. Subway Line since it originally broke ground in 2007 and create the “Q”. When one compares the relative time it took to build this singular line with the time it took to construct the essence of the rest of the Subway system, it becomes incumbent upon one to appreciate the contribution of thousands of immigrants who helped make the dream a reality. Not only did these immigrants, who were mostly Italian in nature, assist in dramatically metamorphosing the city we love today, but they were able to achieve this in a time characterized by much less technological development.
An incredible achievement given the enormity of the project and the amount of dedication it took, the New York City Subway completely revolutionized the social and economic climate of the city and its surrounding areas. Whereas previously immigrants were huddled in the Lower East Side area, they now had the opportunity to go work with the affordability and transportation convenience of the Subway system. Furthermore, while the city had been its own kingdom in a sort beforehand, the subway system helped connect the boroughs and open up New York City’s opportunities to the masses. About a decade after the initiation of the Subway line, almost one billion people utilized its services per year and the number has only grown since.
October 10, 2017 at 9:53 am
After the tragic incident of the Triangle Waist Factory, hundreds of women died from the fire because of the lack of proper safety regulation and escape routes. Many women were either burned alive in the building or fell to their death by jumping out the windows. As a result of this horrific act of insanity, in 1913, there was a flow of progressive legislative social welfare reforms. The Factory Committee worked with Alan Smith, who became a significant figure in New York transformation of reform. He passionately fought against the harsh and dangerous working conditions in the factories and demanded safety regulations for the workers. From this, legislation officially announced new laws for fire protection. This altered factory life for many working class by having adequate staircases, lighting, ventilation, and washrooms. Prior to this new laws, women and their children would work directly for seven hours in a room with no windows. Because of the legislative acts, dangerous machinery is regulated by law, women work 54 hours a week and children under the age 14 cannot work in the factories. This progressive reforms created new laws that regulated child labor, wages, women labor, disabilities compensation, etc. Smith and Wagner used the state government to uncover the unlawful business owner’s wrongdoings and shed light into the hidden secrets of the working class.
October 10, 2017 at 12:09 pm
Without connection, understanding, or relationships amongst its players, a team is unable to achieve success. For New York city, this form of connection, or common link between its many boroughs, was the New York City subway system. Before its establishment in 1900, New York City was a geographically dispersed area with no internal form of rapid transportation, other than bridges. Many historians argue that the subway system is the connecting tissue of the entire metropolis, and without it, the New York we know today as the culture, business, and life style capital of the world, would not exist. This underground set of linkages is both invisible yet vital to the city, and tethers together every citizen of the metropolis while staying hidden beneath the ground.
The mammoth project fell in the hands of a company known as the IBRTC, or
Inter Borough Rapid Transit Company, and was headed by a wealthy German-Jewish man, August Belmont. IN 4 years, 7,700 men, primarily composed of immigrants, cut more than 20 miles of transit tunnels through the bowels of New York City, creating the most advanced transportation system in the world at that time. Most say that the most extraordinary aspect of the subways constructing is that it only took a mere 4 years to construct years, while the greatest city in north American continued to operate above it.
The New York city Subway system also earned the reputation of being the most complicated train system to exist across the world, as well as most extensive. In comparison to cities such as Paris which only had one train going in either direction on a track, New York had both express and local trains, and trains to nearly all the boroughs. Another difference in the NYC subway system versus those in Europe was that it possessed a constant fare, whereas in Europe it depended on the distance you were traveling. This has a unique and positive effect on New Yorkers who did not have the means to travel far distance but needed to for family or work. The subway system both revitalized New York society, while revolutionizing rapid transportation in North America and the entire world for decades to come.
October 10, 2017 at 12:12 pm
Without connection, understanding, or relationships amongst its players, a team is unable to achieve success. For New York city, this form of connection, or common link between its many boroughs, was the New York City subway system. Before its establishment in 1900, New York City was a geographically dispersed area with no internal form of rapid transportation, other than bridges. Many historians argue that the subway system is the connecting tissue of the entire metropolis, and without it, the New York we know today as the culture, business, and life style capital of the world, would not exist. This underground set of linkages is both invisible yet vital to the city, and tethers together every citizen of the metropolis while staying hidden beneath the ground.
The mammoth project fell in the hands of a company known as the IBRTC, or
Inter Borough Rapid Transit Company, and was headed by a wealthy German-Jewish man, August Belmont. IN 4 years, 7,700 men, primarily composed of immigrants, cut more than 20 miles of transit tunnels through the bowels of New York City, creating the most advanced transportation system in the world at that time. Most say that the most extraordinary aspect of the subways constructing is that it only took a mere 4 years to construct years, while the greatest city in north American continued to operate above it.
The New York city Subway system also earned the reputation of being the most complicated train system to exist across the world, as well as most extensive. In comparison to cities such as Paris which only had one train going in either direction on a track, New York had both express and local trains, and trains to nearly all the boroughs. Another difference in the NYC subway system versus those in Europe was that it possessed a constant fare, whereas in Europe it depended on the distance being traveled. This has a unique and positive effect on New Yorkers who did not have the means to travel far distance but needed to for family or work. The subway system both revitalized New York society, while revolutionizing rapid transportation in North America and the entire world for decades to come.