© Women and Children Factory Life

© Labor Labor was scarce before 1840.Labor was scarce before Working conditions were poor.Working conditions were poor. Women and children were important sources for labor.Women and children were important sources for labor.

© Working Conditions Working conditions were poor in the factories.Working conditions were poor in the factories. They were poorly ventilated, lighted, and heated.They were poorly ventilated, lighted, and heated. Hours were long.Hours were long. Wages were low.Wages were low.

© Child Labor Scarce labor made factories turn to using children.Scarce labor made factories turn to using children. Half of the factory laborers were children under ten years old in 1820.Half of the factory laborers were children under ten years old in Conditions caused children to be mentally, emotionally, and physically stunted.Conditions caused children to be mentally, emotionally, and physically stunted.

© Working Women Women in the work force were uncommon.Women in the work force were uncommon. Mostly single women worked.Mostly single women worked. Only about 20% of women worked in 1830.Only about 20% of women worked in 1830.

© Working Women Opportunities to be self- supporting were scarce.Opportunities to be self- supporting were scarce. Being a nurse, domestic servant, or teacher were the only opportunities available outside the factory.Being a nurse, domestic servant, or teacher were the only opportunities available outside the factory.

© Women in the Factories Most factory work was in the textile industry.Most factory work was in the textile industry. –Most women worked six days a week. –They worked from twelve to thirteen hours a day (from dawn to dark). –Most female factory workers came from the farm.

© Lowell, Mass. as an Example Women workers came from the farm.Women workers came from the farm. They were supervised by company matrons.They were supervised by company matrons. They lived in company boarding houses.They lived in company boarding houses. These women provided a disciplined and docile work force.These women provided a disciplined and docile work force.

© A Contrast, How the Rest Lived Factory owners became part of the upper class.Factory owners became part of the upper class. They joined the landowners and merchants.They joined the landowners and merchants. –They reaped the benefits of labor. –Fortunes were amassed. –The profits were rarely passed on to the workers.

© A Contrast, How the Rest Lived The middle class expanded.The middle class expanded. It now included factory managers and supervisors.It now included factory managers and supervisors.

© Improving Life? Laws were passed to improve working conditions.Laws were passed to improve working conditions. –The vote was extended to working men. –Laws finally passed that limited the work day to ten hours. –Workers got better wages

© Improving Life? Child labor laws were being considered.Child labor laws were being considered. Free public education was beginning to be offered.Free public education was beginning to be offered. The gap between the rich and poor was started to decrease (middle class grew)The gap between the rich and poor was started to decrease (middle class grew)