Lowell: A Place of Opportunity or Exploitation?

The time of the Industrial Revolution was one of immense change for both men and women. The new advancements of British machinery that sparked the Industrial Revolution transformed the economy and way of life in the United States, specifically New England and neighboring states. The recent developments lead to children and women, most of whom were immigrants, to work in factories to produce textiles and ready-made clothing. The factory owners of Lowell exploited the girls’ safety and time, yet the occupation provides opportunities that were not even imaginable before.

The owners of the factories in New England, like in Lowell, Massachusetts, oppressed young girls by being careless with their safety. It was already terrible that women made one-eighth of what men made; their affordability for employers made girls, especially immigrants, desirable to save money. That could be the cause of the employer’s lack of regard for their safety. In the factories, from sunrise to sunset, women, men, and children had to breathe in unhealthy and unventilated air. In addition, men and women were being injured and killed because of hazardous surroundings, as Mary S. Paul writes to her father, “My life and health are spared while others are cut off.” Workers have been breaking their necks and ribs and being killed by cars (Doc F). It is an employer’s responsibility to keep his/her employees safe because, in reality, it would be in their interest to keep their workers alive to make them money. Still the girl’s well-being and interests were ignored because it would trouble the factory owners. As a result of the owner’s profiteering, employees were dying.

The paternalistic employers were also exploiting the girls of their time. Girls are lured to wo...

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...ts and the emancipation of slavery with women participating in and organizing the events defends the claim that the Lowell mills gave opportunity for women to progress in their efforts against any inequality.

Although the roles of women were altered completely by the new machines, they were taken advantage of and overworked. The Lowell mills caused many deaths, but it helped many families to survive because each cent counts. Even the hardest times in history can lead to the brightest moments and such was the case for the United States during the Industrial Revolution. People were dying, starving and struggling to survive; however, the strong industrialized nation have those people to thank for their improved economy, extensive railroad and telegraph lines, and the improved rights of women. One, let it be a person or a nation, does not gain strength without struggle.