JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    
    <head>
        <title>test</title>
        <style type="text/css">
            span {
                background:red;
            }
        </style>
        <script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.9.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
        <script type="text/javascript">
            $(function() {
                var i = $('<span class="value">')
                    .text("fails in IE8");
                $("#x").append(i);
                var j = $('<span class="value"/>')
                    .text("works in IE8");
                $("#y").append(j);
                var k = $('<span class="value"></span>')
                    .text("also works in IE8");
                $("#z").append(k);
            });
        </script>
    </head>
    
    <body>
        <div id="x"></div>
        <div id="y"></div>
        <div id="z"></div>
    </body>

</html>