Discussion Forum - History - Week 5

User Generated

ybxrl1000

Humanities

Description

Read the article: Factory Girls. (attached). (2014).Scholastic News – Edition 3, 7016), 1.

In what ways did working in the Lowell Mills shape a young woman’s self-image, world paradigm, and redefine her place in the society?  Consider the following questions as you respond:

  • The work environment in the Mills
  • The way women viewed their purpose and future
  • How working in the Mills may have impacted other areas of the women’s lives.

Does not need to be APA formatted. Only needs to be between 250 - 350 words.

Factory Girls.docx


Unformatted Attachment Preview

Read the article: Factory Girls. (cover story). (2014). Scholastic News – Edition 3, 70 16), 1. What do you want to be when you grow up? A long time ago, women in the United States had only one choice. They took care of their family and farm. That started to change 200 years ago. In 1814, a textile mill opened in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was one of the first factories that sprang up in U.S. cities during the early 1800s. Thousands of women flocked to Lowell to work so they could earn money for themselves and their families. Most were between the ages of 15 and 35. Some were as young as 10 years old! At the factories, they used dangerous machines and were paid very little. But the young women, known as the Lowell Mill Girls, had the courage to fight for change. Life at the Factories The job of the Mill Girls was to turn cotton into fabric. They operated fabric-weaving machines called looms. The women often worked for 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week. And back then, there were no safety rules. Each factory floor was packed with up to 250 machines, with little space between them. "There were many cases in which girls got their dresses or hair caught up in the gears," Emily Levine told Scholastic News. She's an expert on the Lowell Mills. Taking a Stand In 1834, factory owners told the Mill Girls they would have to work more hours for even less pay. The girls had had enough. More than 800 of them went on strike. At the risk of losing their jobs, they marched through the streets. The factory owners ignored their demands. But the fight was far from over. In 1844, the Mill Girls created the first union of working women. The union called for a safer workplace and a shorter workday. In 1874, Massachusetts passed a law limiting the workday to 10 hours for women and children. More than 60 years later, the U.S. government passed a law that prohibited anyone younger than 16 from working in a factory. "The Mill Girls proved that women could come together and demand their rights as workers," says Levine. "That paved the way for women in the workplace today."
Purchase answer to see full attachment
User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.

Explanation & Answer


Anonymous
I was having a hard time with this subject, and this was a great help.

Studypool
4.7
Trustpilot
4.5
Sitejabber
4.4

Similar Content

Related Tags