Reforming Industry

1. Reforming Industry

2. Workers of the 18th and 19th century • Made up of: • Former Farmers • Women • Children (11-16) • Who was preferred by business owners? • Women and children were favored because: • Demanded less wages • Took orders better than men • Unskilled factory work was seen as “women’s work” – Men were called on for more skill labor

3. Challenges for new industries • Caused unrest with Cottage Workers – those who worked out of home • Luddite Movement – started by a group of cottage workers when they burned a textile mill in Nottingham England to the ground (1811) • Started the violence against crowds rising up against industry • Labor Unions and Strikes • Workers organizing and striking against the poor conditions and wages of their job led to decreased productivity and violence • These started because of government’s lack of holding companies accountable

4. Rise of the middle class • With the rise of industry also comes the birth of the middle class. • Middle Class – This group comprised of the supervisors, shop managers, engineers, accountants, mechanics, sales representative had certain skills that made them more valuable. • Called Middle Class because they are in between the Business Owners and the Unskilled Laborers

5. Factories and mass production • Factory System – was the idea of producing goods in mass with use of machinery and lots or workers. • Mass production – evolved out of factory systems where factories became more mechanized and produced more similar goods on a much faster scale – led to lower costs for certain goods • Mass production possible because of: • Interchangeable Parts – identical machine made parts that allow faster repairs • Assembly Lines – allowed for product to move from worker to worker so people only had to learn to do a couple of things

6. Effects of mass production • Dramatic increase in production • Cut in cost of goods • More people could buy more goods • Workers unhappy with repetitive jobs