The industrial revolution was the period of time in which a gradual transition to new manufacturing from homes to factory systems began, this took place from the 18th century and ended in the early decades of the 19th. Prior to the industrial revolution, individuals would produce goods at their own homes, with tools, small machines, and skills that they have acquired. When the revolution began so did mass production, eventually benefiting the people of the century by meeting high demands in a short and quick manner. Although great inventions were made and significant industries such as the textile and iron industry were advancing, there was a major downside for certain groups of people. The working class faced many struggles during the industrial revolution, the revolution may have changed history and …show more content…
Considering that the majority of the citizens dwelt in poverty, many families ensured that every member of their family had a paying job, including their children. From very young ages, children were faced with long hours of labor in factories. Child workers were sought out by factory owners because they could effortlessly be forced to work long hours and receive little to no pay without having much say about the injustice that was bestowed upon them. When children were unable to meet their task as expected to, they were beaten by their overseers. After being asked the lengths that overseers would go in order to keep a child awake and working, William cooper, a former worker replied to the Sadler committee “at times we were frequently strapped” (document 1) This signifies that the workers were expected to work long hours and experienced consequences when they expressed any signs of tire, further revealing that the children were mistreated. In addition to the punishments that the children underwent, they were not provided with a fair amount of food. They were given a short period of time to
If a worker whined about their low wage or the long hours spent working they would be fired, and the owners would hire a new worker. Most of the time the workers didn’t get any time off for breaks or even going to the bathrooms. It wasn’t just young women who had to work in the harsh factory conditions. Children also worked in the factory because their families need
The Industrial Revolution was a period of significant technological, economic, and social change that occurred between the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe and North America. It was marked by the widespread adoption of new manufacturing processes, machinery, and power sources, leading to the growth of factories and mass production. This period saw the emergence of new industries, such as textiles, iron, and coal mining, and it revolutionized transportation with the development of steam-powered engines and railroads.
It also mentions the problem of child laborers working so that their families wouldn’t starve. The job market was so unstable that parents were forced to send their kids to work for some semblance of job security. John Spargo’s “The Bitter Cry of the
Being a child has always been described as anyone under 18 because at this age it is carefree fun and no job. However, that has not always been the case for some children. The issue of child labor is addressed in the speech given by Florence Kelley at the convention of National American Woman Suffrage Association. Kelley uses numerous rhetorical strategies in order to bring light to the travesty that is child labor and bring change.
There were a lot of children in one family, so money was an issue which was why most children worked. They were at home or at the factories they didn’t go
Many kids suffer, and didn’t have food and were very tired all day. According to Document 2 it explains that “people work at age 8 and kids would be severely beaten if caught sleeping or not doing the job right “as a result, kids had the hardest life then because they work for someone no matter what and never ever saw there
An excerpt from a testimony dialogue from the early 1800’s states that “a factory worker named Elizabeth Bentley had work hours beginning at 5 in the morning to 9 at night” (Document 7). This remains to be a clear point of child labor and employment that was supported during the revolution because of the need for workers in textile and other factories. The hours given to children were the same as adult men and women, and required the same amount of effort and efficiency. An everyday shift was the example stated above, a total of 16 hours, which is far longer than the average job today in North America. The same testimony dialogue also showed evidence in which “Bentley’s labor caused deformation in her legs, in which she had ‘weak ankles and crooked knees’ from working in the factory’s harsh conditions” (Document 7).
During the early 1900’s and the years before, it was common for children to work in factories, mills, and any other industrial jobs. Families at the time depended on the income these children earned. Concern began to raise of the effects these strenuous jobs and long hours had on children. These long hours deprived these children of their education; children would work sixty to seventy hours a week. It was rare for working children to get fresh air, time to play and enjoy their youth.
The Industrial Revolution was the beginning of a new world for all of society. The Industrial Revolution first took place in England and then spread rapidly having a tremendous impact culturally and socially, the impacts were influenced by the use of machines, new sources of power, and new organizational methods to mass produce goods. Before the Revolution, most people used hand tools and relied upon human and animal muscle for power. Pre- industrial artisans workshops were not always separated from their home which meant their was not always separation between home and work. The working chain to become a master pre- industrial was a long and hard process, first you were an apprentice, which meant you worked for free and gained experience,
The educated people were serious about the situation of children being forced to work however the voices against this was never risen. The industrial bosses isolated the workplace from the access of journalism and photographers, who they thought could possibly cover the issue in national media and the government would be forced to take the action against it. The image by Lewis Hine which displays the terrible situation of children standing over the functioning machine to get the work done is heartbreaking (The History). The picture is enough to say about the working condition and the safety measures of the contemporary situation. The children who worked on factories had to work 12-18 hours, six days a week for a dollar or often they need to work as long as work is not accomplished.
Another critical grievance against society performed by many affluent employers was the exploitation of the new generations. Not only were fully adult workers being brutalized through an abhorrent working environment, children as young as six years old were exposed to many of the same or similar conditions. Document three is a photograph of two little boys who look to be no older than nine years of age changing the bobbins in a giant machine without any safety equipment while the machine is running. Not only are these kids forced to work in danger of losing digits or other body parts to the hazardous contraptions they worked with all day, this eliminates any chance they have to complete much, if any amount of education that might have helped them rise up in society and break the vicious circle that makes and keeps the poor the way they are, impeding any hierarchical progress. After a grueling day of hard work with little income to show for it, as people went home to their families to eat, they were presented with virtually inedible meat that was then compounded with rat hair, and feces.
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes from 1760 to sometime in between 1820 and 1840. It was a major turning point in history that influenced almost every aspect of daily life. Before the Industrial Revolution women and men had jobs inside of the household. Some men worked outside and were getting paid to do so. Many were self-employed farmers, craftsmen, and other occupations.
Conditions were even worse for children. Children were expected to work 16 hours a day, walk 2 hours each day back home and only have an hour break each day. According to Michael Sadler; he reported several testimonies, some of which talk about how kids were beaten, overworked and lacked food/water. One child testified that toward the end of the day, “when they cannot keep up with it very well, and the consequences are that they are beaten to spur them on” (Perry 131).
Child labor was a great concern in the Industrial revolution but very few people did something to stop it. Women and Children were forced to work more than 10 hours a day with only forty minutes to have lunch. Elizabeth Bentley once said that they didn’t have any time to have breakfast or drink anything during the day. They worked standing up and if they didn’t do their work on time they were strapped (whipped). Children were treating like they were not important, like they didn’t deserve a better life.
The Industrial Revolution was a major change in the nature of production in which machines replaced tools and steam and other energy sources replaced human or animal power. The Industrial Revolution began in England in the middle 1700s. During the Industrial Revolution, workers became more productive, items were manufactured, prices dropped, making hard to make items available to the working and middle class and not only the wealthy. Life generally improved, but the Industrial Revolution was also harmful. Pollution increased, working conditions were harmful, and capitalists employed women and young children, making them work long hours for low wages.