Changes in Working Life The Introduction of Factories Changed working life for many Americans

Key Vocabulary and Key People Key Vocabulary Rhode Island System Lowell System Trade Unions Strikes Key People Francis Cabot Lowell Sara G. Bagley

Family Matters Samuel Slater Started to use the Apprentice System to fill his factories, but the Apprentices became bored with the work and left Samuel Slater Turned to families and Children to fill his Factories at Low Costs Child Labor Became popular and was often an alternative to schooling in poor families Children held simple jobs and were paid low wages  One week of Child Labor = One Week Adult Labor

Tiny Towns Samuel Slater built Family Communities to fill his factories and opened up a Community Store where workers could buy goods on credit Slater’s System led to the Rhode Island System where factory owners brought in families and even recruit poor communities to gain workers Mill Cities became Self Sufficient with Textile workers, machine part makers, and dam Builders Towns grew to include Tailors, Dressmakers, Butchers and Small Workshops in addition to the company store

Women’s Movement Francis Cabot Lowell invented Water powered Textile Mills run by women with machines that could create thread AND weave Cloth in the same factory The Lowell System were clean factories with new machinery and Boarding houses for women that made 2- 4 dollars per week and paid 1.25 dollars for room and board The Lowell Mils attracted many women looking for a better life and most women worked at the factories for about 4 years Women would take classes and form women’s clubs and would even publish a magazine for the mill

State of the Union Work life was often hard with 12-14 hour workday, times for lunch and dinner, and health problems due to dust from machines Small Shop owners had to compete with factories and began to hire more workers for less money As Immigration increased more workers looked for jobs leading to lower wages which were also hurt by the Panic of 1837 Workers began to Organize into Unions for skilled workers and Tradespeople and would stage MOSTLY unsuccessful Strikes to improve working wages and Work Conditions

Day Break Sara G. Bagley led the movement to improve working condition and working hours at the Lowell Mills Workers pushed for the same 10 hour workday that federal Employees had leading to improved work conditions in MANY northern States Child Labor still Remained Harsh, however, working over 12 hours a day with only a 45 minute dinner break which would continue into the late 1800s

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