Ch.11

1
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Mills Change Workers Life
Workers Organize
The Lowell System

• Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to
  run mill machines
• Mill owners had trouble fining workers
• Slater began to hire entire families to work in
  mills (Pawtucket)
• Slater built housing for his worker families a
  company store
• Children often worked in factories for lower
  wages than adults
• Slaters strategy of hiring families known as
  Rhode Island System
• Many mill owners copied Slaters methods

• Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile
  industry by hiring young unmarried women
• Lowell built boarding houses for the women
• The Lowell girls mad between 2 4 dollars a
  week paid 1.25 for room board
• Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn
  money
• Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days
• Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic
  cough

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

The Beginning of Trade Unions
Labor Reform Efforts
Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade
unions to improve pay conditions
Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform
Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day
Over time unions gained concrete legal
victories-kept fight to end child labor
Sometimes labor unions protested by using
strikes-refused to work until demands met
2
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Mills Change Workers Life

• Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to
  run mill machines
• Mill owners had trouble fining workers
• Slater began to hire entire families to work in
  mills (Pawtucket)
• Slater built housing for his worker families a
  company store
• Children often worked in factories for lower
  wages than adults
• Slaters strategy of hiring families known as
  Rhode Island System
• Many mill owners copied Slaters methods

• Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to
  run mill machines
• Mill owners had trouble finding workers
• Slater began to hire entire families to work in
  mills (Pawtucket)
• Slater built housing for his worker families a
  company store
• Children often worked in factories for lower
  wages than adults
• Slaters strategy of hiring families known as
  Rhode Island System
• Many mill owners copied Slaters methods

3
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Even young children could run the mill machines.
Samuel Slater built boarding houses for his
workers.
One of the Lowell factory boarding houses still
standing today.
4
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
The Lowell System

• Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile
  industry by hiring young unmarried women
• Lowell built boarding houses for the women
• The Lowell girls mad between 2 4 dollars a
  week paid 1.25 for room board
• Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn
  money
• Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days
• Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic
  cough

• Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile
  industry by hiring young unmarried women
• Lowell built boarding houses for the women
• The Lowell girls made between 2 4 dollars
  a week paid 1.25 for room board
• Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn
  money
• Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days
• Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic
  cough

5
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Francis Cabot Lowell
Young girls other factory workers exposed to
cotton dust developed health issues.
Lowell girl running the loom.
6
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Workers Organize

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

7
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Workers Organize

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

The Beginning of Trade Unions
The Beginning of Trade Unions
Workers begin to organize to gain more pay
better working conditions.
Facing low wages, skilled workers formed trade
unions to improve pay conditions
Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade
unions to improve pay conditions
8
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Workers Organize

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

The Beginning of Trade Unions
Strikes for better pay and working conditions
were sometimes violent.
Sometimes labor unions protested by using
strikes-refused to work until demands met
Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade
unions to improve pay conditions
Sometimes labor unions protested by using
strikes-refused to work until demands met
9
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Workers Organize

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

Labor Reform Efforts
Labor Reform Efforts
Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform
Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day
Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform
Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day
10
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Workers Organize

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

Labor Reform Efforts
Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform
Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day
Over time unions gained concrete legal victories-
kept fight to end child labor
Over time unions gained concrete legal
victories-kept fight to end child labor
11
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Mills Change Workers Life
Workers Organize
The Lowell System

• Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to
  run mill machines
• Mill owners had trouble fining workers
• Slater began to hire entire families to work in
  mills (Pawtucket)
• Slater built housing for his worker families a
  company store
• Children often worked in factories for lower
  wages than adults
• Slaters strategy of hiring families known as
  Rhode Island System
• Many mill owners copied Slaters methods

• Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile
  industry by hiring young unmarried women
• Lowell built boarding houses for the women
• The Lowell girls mad between 2 4 dollars a
  week paid 1.25 for room board
• Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn
  money
• Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days
• Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic
  cough

• Factories threatened craftspeople
• Factories quickly produced low price goods
• Wages at factories went down as immigrants
  competed for jobs
• Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic
  of 1837

The Beginning of Trade Unions
Labor Reform Efforts
Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade
unions to improve pay conditions
Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform
Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day
Sometimes labor unions protested by using
strikes-refused to work until demands met
Over time unions gained concrete legal
victories-kept fight to end child labor
12
Ch.11 The North
Section 2- Changes in Working Life
Mills Change Workers Life
Workers Organize
The Lowell System