19 th C. Women & Textile History The Bad, the Ugly and the Good!

Textile Revolution: 1.Happens in 19 th c. (1800s) 2.Is the product of THREE THINGS!

#1: Rise in Slavery  Eli Whitney and S. L. Greene invent the Cotton Gin.  Slave numbers skyrocket, from 250,000 in 1800 to 4 million in % of slaves, including women, work in cotton fields.

#2 Industrial Revolution  Factories and Factory style work develops, early 1800s  The First Factories make mostly Textiles and Shoes.  Factories at first use almost all female workers (because they can be over-worked and under-waged)

Like LOWELL, MA

#3 Domesticity  True Womanhood said “real women” were Domestic. Domesticity included housework and child rearing.  NOW: Think Martha Stewart (But be nice– sexism isn’t cool).  Real women were crafty. They crocheted, knitted, etc.  They QUILTED!!!!

Quilting as an American Art  Cheap Cotton Available (Female Slaves and Factory workers)  First Sewing Machine introduced 1830s (First Singer Sewing Machine 1851).  Middle Class Women have time and Money. They can afford sewing machines, Fabric and thread.

Early Quilt Patterns

Nine Patch

Whole Cloth

Under Ground Rail Road Quilts  Watch /  (Harriet Tubman- Mini Bio)  Peg Shall Demonstrate about the blocks and then you shall make some!