Question

Imagine yourself in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1840 where either you or a close family member works as a factory girl in the textile mill. Discuss what you (or your close family member) experience and see. Consider how technology has made the town distinct and if women affiliated with the mill were treated better or worse in society than their peers elsewhere.

Your response must be at least 200 words in length

Answer 1

The industries in United States grew remarkably in the nineteenth century which leads to developing the factory system. The textile factory in Waltham, Massachusetts was introduced by Francis Cabot Lowell who brought technological information related to power looms and the cloth production process from his visit in England and Scotland. Working at the factory here in Lowell was considered to be an extremely intriguing experience for financial gain. My parents decided it was best for our family for my sister to move to Lowell. Since the work was not strenuous and worker needs not to be physically strong, however required workers must be intelligent to master the machinery used in the mill, thus the preference was given to hire young women. After reaching home, my sister used to discuss about her job profile and work environment. She has told me the advanced machines were doing the work of hundreds of hand weavers. However there were strict guidelines in which she was asked to conduct herself and in the mill were underpaid drastically for their efforts. There were harsh working conditions and long working hours. But in overall this opportunity brought a feeling of freedom, more opportunities, financial independence, broader higher education, and a better living for all us. They taught a powerful lesson to United States that an ordinary women doing extraordinary things.