EQ: How did conditions change for workers once the factory system developed?

How was life for the northern factory worker?  In a word, HARD, factory owners wanted workers to produce longer at an average of 11.4 hours a day.  As leather straps broke under extreme use, workers lost fingers and broken bones.  Young children were especially at risk.  With no air conditioning, workers sweltered in the summer and froze in the winter.

How did the workers react?  Trade unions-organizations of skilled workers with the same trade-began to form to help the workers.  Unskilled workers began to organize as well and “strike” or refuse to work for better conditions and pay.  Massachusetts was the first state to allow workers to strike without losing their jobs.

What was it like for African-Americans?  Slavery had disappeared in the north by 1830, but workers there still faced prejudice and discrimination.  New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania had laws prohibiting AA’s from voting.  While a select few became successful, the majority of AA’s in the factory system were very poor.

Did women fare any better?  Women were kept out of labor unions and were always paid less than men.  Male workers often wanted women out of the workplace so more jobs would be available for men.  Most efforts for women to achieve equal treatment in the workplace failed but they paved the way for future success of later movements.

How did the cities change?  Northern cities experienced population booms with the number of factories and factory workers.  Immigration-the movement of people into a country, helped spark the growth as the Irish fled the “potato famine” in Ireland at a rate of 1.5 million between 1846 and  They were too poor to buy land so they mostly worked in factories.

What other countries followed?  Germany was the second largest to immigrate to America.  They were much more financially successful than the Irish.  They came in family groups and bought land and set up businesses.  They also brought their culture and set up musical societies.

How did natural born Americans react?  Just as AA’s were prejudiced against, immigrants soon felt the wrath of a jealous nation that felt too many immigrants were taking American jobs.  Nativists-people opposed to immigrants began targeting foreigners for taking lower wages and bringing crime to cities.