The Industrial Revolution: The Factory System Urbanization Proletariat Unions Factory Conditons Improvements
The Factory System Factory System: society that is organized by factories to meet the demands of the textile and manufacturing industries’ products for consumers. Leads to urbanization.
Proletariats: unskilled laborers The “Working Class” Factory system = poor working conditions The first unions.
“Solidarity Forever, the Union Song!”Solidarity Forever, the Union Song
Working Conditions in Factories
Scavengers
Food in the Factory
Factory Accidents Mary Richards Mary Richards Deformities Deformities Video Video
Sir Robert Owen A factory owner concerned about the well being of his employees. “Healthy, happy employees makes higher production.” Owen wanted to make a school for employee children and a store for his workers. He wanted to regulate the communities around his factory. Owen believed in morals Robert Owen,
Owen’s factory at New Lanark
Improved Working Conditions Owen publicly said that the current working conditions in factories exploited women and children. As a result, governments began to request change in the factories, particularly with wages and hours worked among children and women (Sadler Commission—1832) Result: Factory Act Over the years, more improvements to the legislation would be added.
Factory Act 1819: Limited the hours worked by children to a maximum of 12 per day. Factory Act 1833: Children under 9 banned from working in the textiles industry and year olds limited to a 48 hour week. Factory Act 1844: Maximum of 12 hours work per day for Women. Factory Act 1847: Maximum of 10 hours work per day for Women and children. Factory Act 1850: Increased hours worked by Women and children to 10 and a half hours a day, but not allowed to work before 6am or after 6pm. Factory Act 1874: No worker allowed to work more than 56.5 hours per week
Owen’s Utopia “a perfect world” “The greatest happiness for the greatest number of people” utilitarianism
Alexander “Boss” Gibson’s Home in Marysville