Annotated Bibliography on Great Chicago Fire: Devastation and Displacement in 1871

The Great Chicago Fire was an inferno that burnt the City of Chicago in the year 1871. The conflagration killed over 300 people and destroyed up to 9 km2 of the city. Over 100 000 people were displaced. The fire started within the neighborhood in the southwest of the city center. The long period of dry season characterized by hot and windy conditions was the main cause of the inferno. More than half of the buildings in the City of Chicago were made of wood; in addition, most of the roofing was designed from shingle or tar, highly flammable materials. Besides the buildings, the city's sidewalks were constructed from the wood, contributing to the flow or spread of fire. The dryness in the region resulted from the little rainfall, only 1 inch or 25 mm, received from July to October. The above scenario also caused severe drought. The sources below attempt to answer the question; what were some of the causes of the historic Great Chicago Fire, what were the political and economic consequences of the fire in the larger American society?

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Pascal, Janet. What Was the Great Chicago Fire? New York: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2016. Internet resource.

Critic: The book elaborates on the causes of Chicago fire, it highlights the main cause and how the fire spread to different places from the point of origin. According to the author, Pascal Janet, the raging fire destroyed properties and deaths of over 300 people. However, the book does not provide theories or the social factors that could have caused the inferno. Even though the author explains the origin of the fire, there is no confirmation of the truth from other sources of information, such as governmental disaster management teams as well as the community organizers. Also, the author does not give historical accounts of causes of similar tragedies. In most cases, authors often attempt to highlight or elaborate on the fundamental or basis of the information on the causes of the fire. In the explanation of such events, there is the need to incorporate the conspiracy theories which is lacking in the book.

Summary: The author gives an exact answer to the cause of the historic Great Fire of Chicago. From the book, the inferno started after a cow kicked the lantern in a barn. The book provides an elaboration on the spread of the fire and the factors that facilitated the devastating results, including deaths of over 300 people and displacement of over 100, 000 persons. Specifically, the fire started in the southern part of Chicago. The long period of drought and the wooden structures facilitated the spread of inferno to the extent of 9 km2. The strong winds increased the distressing impacts of the fire, making its impacts to be felt across the Chicago River. The information contained in the book directly relates to the thesis as it provides the exact cause of the inferno. Also, the author attempts to explain the economic consequences and how the government responded to the consequences of the fire.

Bennie, Paul. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871. New York: Chelsea House, 2008. Internet resource.

Critic: The book provides relevant historical perspectives of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. There is a critical analysis of the events leading to the causes and the spread of the inferno across the Great City of Chicago. Apart from the causes, there is the elaboration of the aftermath of the consequences of the fire, both on the political, social and economic perspectives. The author provides detailed analysis of the environmental factors that led to the spread of fire, as well as the raging consequences to the larger Chicago community. The economic impacts are well brought out in the book; the author explains the losses and the destructions and the costs of properties lost amidst the ravaging inferno. According to the writer, the fire captured everyone's imagination simply because it occurred in the city where there was a large population of people and also numerous economic activities. The fire spread to the southern branch of Chicago River and caused a lot of destruction in the Central part of the city.

Summary: The information presented in the book explains the thesis statement. The author explains the exact causes of the fire and how caught everyone's imagination. According to the author, the fire was caused by the social tension that was widely experienced within Chicago City. In the periods leading to the year 1871, Chicago city experienced a lot of growth in terms of infrastructure and hosing. The wood became one of the common building materials in the city. Houses, sidewalks were made mainly from the wood, and when fire started, it spread so easily to different parts of the city. The author also provides economic analysis of the consequences of the fire. With the rapid spread of fire, people believed that the event was a modern-day Gomorrah as they could not internalize the devastating consequences and the ravaging effects of the inferno.

Lowe, David. The Great Chicago Fire. Newburyport: Dover Publications, 2012. Internet resource.

Critic: The book is a credible source for the given topic; it highlights the whole story, including the eyewitness accounts before and after the fire; it also provides pictures or photographs taken on the day of the event. According to the author, Chicago fire is one of the greatest disasters in the history of United States. The boon also provides the history of Chicago town and how it became one of the most advanced cities in the United States by 1871. The booking economy and the increasing economic activities of the city attracted more people from all races. The book is credible source of information on the Chicago fire because it gives elaborate historical accounts as well as events leading to the tragedy. Also, the author provides a critical analysis of the economic, social, and political impacts of the fire not only in Chicago but also in the larger American society.

Summary: The information provided in the book addresses thesis statement; the author elaborates on the causes of the Greatest Fire of Chicago and the economic consequences it had to the larger city of Chicago. The rapid spread of the fire resulted from the wooden structures as well as the windy conditions. When the fire started, the region or the city was experiencing drought; thus the dryness caused the quick spread of fire into several areas within Chicago city. The fire spread to the southern branch of Chicago River and caused a lot of destruction in the Central part of the city. After the fire, there were several measures that were put in place to prevent similar accidents in future. In other words, the measures were developed and put in place to curb rapid spread of fires. In 1700 and part of 1800, wooden materials were the main building materials; most of the structures were constructed by the use of wood. The spread of fire was, therefore aided by the wooden structures.

Work Cited

Bennie, Paul. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871. New York: Chelsea House, 2008. Internet resource.

Lowe, David. The Great Chicago Fire. Newburyport: Dover Publications, 2012. Internet resource.

Pascal, Janet. What Was the Great Chicago Fire? New York: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2016. Internet resource.