Primary Sources exam #2

“Electricity in the Household” – T. Vernette Morse

February 1911, This article from Popular Electricity encouraged middle-class women to embrace new electric appliances as a way to modernize their homes and reduce domestic labor.

Reflected how technology shaped changing gender roles and domestic life in the early 20th century; showed optimism about industrial progress and consumerism.

William Shepherd, “Eyewitness at the Triangle,” Milwaukee Journal, March 27, 1911

March 27, 1911, A firsthand newspaper account describing the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the horrific deaths of young female workers trapped inside.

Shocked the public, galvanized support for labor reform, and led to stronger workplace safety laws and factory inspections.

“The Need for Birth Control” – Margaret Sanger

1922, Sanger argued that women’s freedom and health depended on access to birth control and education about reproduction.

Advanced women’s rights and health reform; launched the birth control movement that eventually led to Planned Parenthood and wider reproductive access.

Map of the Great Migration – New York Public Library

1900–1929, A visual representation of the mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to Northern and Western cities.

Illustrated the demographic and cultural shifts that reshaped U.S. cities, fueling the Harlem Renaissance and new Black political activism.

Painting of the Great Migration – Jacob Lawrence

1917, Part of Lawrence’s Migration Series, it artistically depicts the struggles and hopes of African Americans relocating northward.

Gave a powerful cultural voice to the Black experience; became a landmark in American modern art and civil rights awareness.

President Harry Truman, “Announcing the Bombing of Hiroshima”

August 6, 1945, Truman’s public statement informing Americans of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and justifying it as necessary to end the war.

Marked the beginning of the nuclear age; reshaped global politics and ethics surrounding warfare, power, and peace.

A letter from Kenji Okuda to Norio Higano from Camp Harmony about his feelings on internment on Memorial Day, May 30, 1942

May 30, 1942, A personal letter written by a Japanese American internee expressing feelings about life in the camp and reflections on loyalty and discrimination.

Revealed the human cost of Japanese American internment during WWII; contributed to later civil rights discussions and the movement for redress.