What was life like for a Lowell girl?
Difficult Factory Conditions These women worked in very sub-par conditions, upwards of 70 hours a week in grueling environments. The air was very hot in these rooms that were full of machines that generated heat, the air quality was poor, and the windows were often closed.
What was the purpose of the Lowell Mills?
Francis Cabot Lowell founded the Boston Manufacturing Company, prompted by the increased demand for cloth during the War of 1812. Using the latest technology, he built a factory in Massachusetts which used water power to run machines that processed raw cotton into finished fabric.
Where were most of the Lowell mill girls from?
Leaving Home. Most of the women who came to Lowell were from farms and small villages. Some had labored in small textile mills. Others had produced cotton or woolen goods or shoes for merchants who employed men and women in their homes and paid them by the pieces they produced.
Why did mill owners hire female workers?
One reason that the factory owners liked to hire women was because they could pay them less. At the time, women made around half of what men made for doing the same job. Working conditions in the factories were not great. The women worked long hours from early morning to late at night.
What is the life of a mill girl?
A typical day for mill girls might include a wakeup bell and a quick first meal, followed by several hours of work, a lunch bell, and work until the evening dinner bell. After work, the girls had a few hours of relative freedom before the boarding house’s curfew.
How much did mill workers get paid?
The men paid $2.25 per week and the women paid $1.50, both including washing. Mary does not say why the women paid less but perhaps they were expected to help serve the supper or help with the washing up. The mill owners built small houses on their “grounds” which they rented to the workers.
What caused Lowell to start to decline?
Decline. Economic instability in the 1830s as well as immigration greatly affected the Lowell mills. Overproduction during the 1830s caused the price of finished cloth to drop and the mills’ financial situation was exacerbated by a minor depression in 1834 and the Panic of 1837.
What was one major effect of the Lowell System?
One major effect of the Lowell system was that young women were given the possibility to work and to gain financial independence. The Lowell System was a labor production model. With that system the manufacturing activities were in charge of young female and they worked under a roof.
How long was the work day and work week for a mill girl?
Employees worked from 5:00 am until 7:00 pm, for an average 73 hours per week. Each room usually had 80 women working at machines, with two male overseers managing the operation.
Why are the Lowell girls famous?
In the 1830s, half a century before the better-known mass movements for workers’ rights in the United States, the Lowell mill women organized, went on strike and mobilized in politics when women couldn’t even vote—and created the first union of working women in American history.
What problems did the mill girls have to deal with?
Between poor building structures, dangerous machinery, crowded boardinghouses, and a variety of frequent accidents, these women worked at their own risk. Work hazards were compounded by exhaustion, a frequent topic of reporting from inside and outside the mill.
Why did the mill girls work?
Women wanted to work at these factories for a variety of reasons or, as Farley noted, for no reason at all. Many came to improve their financial stability, such as earning money to pay off their mortgages or to help out their families. Others worked for the experience rather than the money.
What impact did Lowell girls have on society?
The Lowell Mill Girls strengthened discrimination among social classes, caused damage to the environment, and ultimately paved the way for all Americans to have the same equal rights.
What is the significance of Lowell girls?
The Lowell Mill Girls were female workers in early 19th century America, young women employed in an innovative system of labor in textile mills centered in Lowell, Massachusetts. The employment of women in a factory was novel to the point of being revolutionary.
What is the definition of Lowell girls?
Lowell Mill Girls. The Lowell Mill Girls were young female workers who came to work in industrial corporations in Lowell, Massachusetts, during the Industrial Revolution in the United States.
Where did most of the Lowell mill girls live?
Life in a Boardinghouse. The majority of mill girls in Lowell lived in boardinghouses. These large, corporation-owned buildings were often run by a female keeper, or a husband and wife.