...Women and the Industrial Revolution Harriet Robinson, who worked as a factory worker in Lowell, once wrote in her autobiography that “[mill life] lets...[society] see the women as active participants in their own lives” (Halsall 2). Nothing could be more true. Lowell, Massachusetts, a city filled with mills powered by the Merrimack River, became the country’s dream- a place where industry and economy flourished (“At the Clang”). As with Lowell, girls from New England flocked to mills and factories in search of a better life and new opportunities (“At the Clang”). Although some may claim that factory life was a negative experience and hurt the mill girls, it is clear that the Industrial Revolution impacted the lives of American workers in a positive way, for they gained more independence, stood up for their rights, and, overall, were able to become more informed by working in factories and mills...
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...As we examine the lives of working women through the beginning of history until the Industrial Revolution, readers can examine how the definition of work in context for women changed over the path of time, and how this in turn affected each generation of women. Originating as community members specifically tasked with making more citizens, in the onset of industry we see woman becoming workers in the first factories. In this paper we readers will examine three different types of written works and lifestyles, from the Christian story of creation through narratives about the results of the game-changing shift to industry, so readers will be able to compare and contrast the lifestyles and expectations of the “working woman.” Starting from the...
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...When someone mentions the Industrial revolution, to many it brings to mind the steam engine, or the railroad, or the industries plant, be it a textile mill, with its great rolling yards of fabric and spinner machines, or maybe the steel mill with iron ore being processed and refined to steel bars, amidst the smoke of the furnaces, and the roaring of bellows. All of these things would be true when considering the Industrial Revolution and the impact that it had on America. What most people do not stop to consider is the role that women had to play in the Revolution so to speak, and the impact that it had on families and their development. The Industrial Revolution was a double edged sword for women in the early 1800’s. It helped to get them...
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...The Industrial Revolution provided a variety of opportunities for women who worked in the factories to widen their knowledge and become successful later on in life, however many of the women who worked in the factories were poorly paid and treated unfairly. This resulted in labor reforms and restrictions on the wages and hours the managers were allowed to enforce on their employees. The hours women were forced to work were unfair and definitely abusive. Women who worked in factories often worked twelve to fourteen hour days with no more than a total of forty-five minutes to one hour in breaks (Dublin, Thomas. "Women and the Early Industrial Revolution i…). The unfair hours the women were forced to work not only were uncompensated for, but kept women away from their newborn children or even young children who are also working in factories to help support...
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...Change Over Time Essay Changes and Continuities of Women’s and Industrial Workers’ Roles during the Industrial Revolution With time, changes are made. With the changes that are made, society makes the attempt to build upon them so that the continuity of that society will flourish. There were many changes that were results from the Industrial Revolution. Some of these effects were very substantial, such as the change if women’s roles, and the change of industrial workers’ roles. The amount of continuity does not compare to the amount of change in any shape, form, or fashion. The Industrial Revolution had remarkable effects on the people of society that were contemplated as a part of the “lower class”. Due to the occurrence of this event,...
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...The eighteenth century was a time of significant social, cultural and economic change for Europe. The century included both the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. They transformed demographics, working methods and economic structures. Their consequences impacted on the family income, both in terms of how money was earned and who in the family earned it. One of the consequences of the Agricultural and Industrial Revolution was a shift in populations to more urban areas. The revolution also impacted on the self-sufficient economy of rural life with increased reliance on industrial employment. This essay will examine these changes and discuss how they impacted on women and the family. This will be achieved by examining the changes in gender roles and, in particular, changes to women’s roles in the family and society and how this directly impacted on the shape and function of the family. The aim is to explore the cultural and economic shift in eighteenth century society from a mainly rural, agrarian society to and more urban, industrialises society. The essay will also consider how these changes impacted on family life during this period. The issue which this essay focuses on is; that as women and children began to play a greater role in the work place the shape and function of family changed. Eighteenth century life was dependant on agriculture. During the early years of the century over eighty percent of the population were living in rural areas. Although there were demographic...
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...Women’s Roles During the Industrial Revolution During the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Industrial revolution transformed Western Europe and the United States introducing origins of machinery in the cotton textile industries. However during this time, non-industrial wage labor increased, more children were being forced to work, urban cities grew, and the commercial agriculture from farms transformed into a labor market. Although, it was not only these economic developments being impacted that made the time of the Industrial Revolution significant; changes in family life also occurred, particularly speaking the decline of family size and increase of life expectancy. Therefore, there was a greater role for women in the labor force, allowing them to compete in contemporary politics and reform activities. Dependent on beginning of the transatlantic movement of British immigrants and their technology, the Industrial Revolution in the United States moved forward allowing the textile industry to expand. Long after the American Revolution showed signs of advantage in the marketplace, a flood of British exports took over, replicating inventions from English manufacturers. One of the first inventions reconstructed would be the first permanent cotton spinning mill and an Arkwright water frame restored by Samuel Slater under sponsorship of former merchants William Almy and Moses Brown. With the leadership of Slater, Almy and Brown they expanded a firm in machine...
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...Industrialization after the Civil War Industrialization after the Civil War Introduction This paper discusses the effects the Industrial Revolution had on the economy, politics, and society. Also this paper will talk about five different groups affected by the Revolution. In addition, this paper reviews the effects the Industrial Revolution had on the average working American. The Industrial Revolution brought many changes to America as a whole; it seems as though no stone was left unturned. The Revolution affected everything in its path, including government, people, and way of life in general. Three Aspects of the Industrial Revolution Three aspects of the Industrial Revolution include society, the economy, and politics. The American economy began to change during the Industrial Revolution; this change was mainly due to the increase of productivity. Productivity increased by using the out work system. This system consisted of people completing jobs in their homes (Economic Growth and the Early Industrial Revolution). Another way the economy changed was through the factory system. This system allowed a large scale of work to be completed in one location (Economic Growth and the Early Industrial Revolution). Society was another aspect that changed through the Industrial Revolution. Society went through two major transitions during the revolution. One of the major changes was that many Americans left farming, and went to find jobs in factories (Shultz, 2014). Factories were...
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...How the Industrial Revolution Transformed American Transportation of products Christopher Lewis Writing Assignment 1 HIS300 American History 30 October 2015 How did the Industrial Revolution transform America? The answer to this question will vary from person to person but, the truth is that it transformed America in many different ways to include urbanization, immigration, transportation of materials and goods, changing role of women in the home and workplace, and the education of middle and working class people. The Effects of urbanization during the Industrial Revolution Prior to the Industrial Revolution families worked together on farms as well as doing the chores around the home. Men who were the head of the household did their trade and trained their older sons...
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...Learning about the Industrial Revolution is interesting because you could find out how life was before it became how it is now. Equally important you can also learn about the negative and positive effects that occurred during the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was during the century of 18th and 19th. More importantly The Industrial Revolution was a time of major growth and a change in Europe and the U.S.It was a change in machinery systems and techniques of making goods. Producing was done in people’s homes, using hand utensils or basic machines. The changes proceeded to an entirely new world. More goods were able to be manufactured in a shorter amount of time. This is giving to the advancements in farming, building, constructing,...
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...Use Eric Hobsbawm’s views to examine the period of industrialisation in Britain from 1700-1850. Construct an illustrated and annotated timeline of the period. scenes from the industrial era Scenes from the industrial era n.d, n.p Available at[ Accessed on: 1st November 2015] Prior to the industrialisation life in Britain was very different to what you would have seen in the industrial revolution. From 1700 to 1850 a lot of changes had taken place. Many factories were built many inventions and changes had been made during that time. ” Steam power played a large part in the Industrial Revolution, and without it Industrialisation would have been impossible” Smith (2009, P.20) Thomas Savery patented the first steam engine in 1698. However...
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...always worked together on contractual jobs. The artisans worked with journeymen and apprentice to ensure that they served the masters well. However, the nineteenth century led to increased industrial revolution that tended to bring an end to traditional forms of production to the modern factories. The artisanal work was hard work, but a lot was lost through the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution led to decrease in labor costs significantly causing the decline in the artisanal system. It was seen and thought to be a framework to embrace innovation and to leave the traditional methods. The workers were adversely affected by the revolutionized industry as the male-dominated trades were streamed down to the children and women. Labor movements were experienced in most parts of the cities leading to leaps of population and wealth. It is during this period that the artisans, as well as other skilled laborers, were paid higher than all the unskilled workers. The artisans owned modest homes with servant quarters. The proficiency of the artisans led to them being considered marketable assets especially due to their tools. The older regimes offered a platform for the artisans to become eventually masters in their field of expertise and this was considered a threat to the revolution. As such, the American system decided to maintain the artisan system although certain restrictions were put to hinder their advancements. The merchant capitalists, who were masters to the artisans...
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...always worked together on contractual jobs. The artisans worked with journeymen and apprentice to ensure that they served the masters well. However, the nineteenth century led to increased industrial revolution that tended to bring an end to traditional forms of production to the modern factories. The artisanal work was hard work, but a lot was lost through the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution led to decrease in labor costs significantly causing the decline in the artisanal system. It was seen and thought to be a framework to embrace innovation and to leave the traditional methods. The workers were adversely affected by the revolutionized industry as the male-dominated trades were streamed down to the children and women. Labor movements were experienced in most parts of the cities leading to leaps of population and wealth. It is during this period that the artisans, as well as other skilled laborers, were paid higher than all the unskilled workers. The artisans owned modest homes with servant quarters. The proficiency of the artisans led to them being considered marketable assets especially due to their tools. The older regimes offered a platform for the artisans to become eventually masters in their field of expertise and this was considered a threat to the revolution. As such, the American system decided to maintain the artisan system although certain restrictions were put to hinder their advancements. The merchant capitalists, who were masters to the artisans...
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...How industrial capitalism has transformed work, its gendered character and its gendering effects The founding fathers those good old boys, always knew where a women’s place was. These Upper-middle class white men were the founder of beliefs that are imbedded in our makeup that created separate sphere and gender role for men and women. That saying a “Women’s place is in the home”, that belief has been in our make up for generations. When the Industrial revolution arrived things changed, it’s transformed the idea of work to outside the home. The result eventually transforms society as a whole. The industrial Revolution is without question one of the most important transformation in human history. With the separation of job opportunities by gender, the effects that our gender plays in the employment opportunities that are available to us. The text states, “The shift of production from homes during the industrialization transformed men into wage laborers who left home each day for jobs. The decline of domestic production, in turn, robbed women of the role of breadwinning, and left them with the invisible and socially devalued tasks as housekeeping and child rearing. Thus in the wake of industrialization, women found themselves with limited options. Because social norms and job discrimination curtailed their participation in the labor force. “ This Ideology of separate spheres was born among the English upper-middle class, called for the separation of family life from paid work...
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...The industrial revolution was crucial to creating a growing world and economy. Great Britain ignited the fire and was the first among all nations to take part in the industrial revolution. A mix of different factors made the industrial revolution possible; available wealth, increasing population, more available labor, and availability of cheap materials (Duiker, 2009). The steam engine was a popular invention during the eighteenth century and was easy to utilize since society wasn’t worried about a depleting non-renewable energy supply. This only continued to create more jobs for individuals and contribute to a growing economy. The use of the steam engine and consumption of coal paved a path to the production of the railroad, which was also...
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