Ch.11 – The North

1. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Mills Change Workers’ Life Workers Organize The Lowell System • Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to run mill machines • Mill owners had trouble fining workers • Slater began to hire entire families to work in mills (Pawtucket) • Slater built housing for his worker families & a company store • Children often worked in factories for lower wages than adults • Slater’s strategy of hiring families known as Rhode Island System • Many mill owners copied Slater’s methods • Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile industry by hiring young unmarried women • Lowell built boarding houses for the women • The “Lowell girls” mad between $2 & $4 dollars a week & paid $1.25 for room & board • Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn money • Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days • Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic cough • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 The Beginning of Trade Unions Labor Reform Efforts Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade unions to improve pay & conditions Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day Sometimes labor unions protested by using strikes-refused to work until demands met Over time unions gained concrete legal victories-kept fight to end child labor

2. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Mills Change Workers’ Life • Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to run mill machines • Mill owners had trouble fining workers • Slater began to hire entire families to work in mills (Pawtucket) • Slater built housing for his worker families & a company store • Children often worked in factories for lower wages than adults • Slater’s strategy of hiring families known as Rhode Island System • Many mill owners copied Slater’s methods • Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to run mill machines • Mill owners had trouble finding workers • Slater began to hire entire families to work in mills (Pawtucket) • Slater built housing for his worker families & a company store • Children often worked in factories for lower wages than adults • Slater’s strategy of hiring families known as Rhode Island System • Many mill owners copied Slater’s methods

3. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Even young children could run the mill machines. Samuel Slater built boarding houses for his workers. One of the Lowell factory boarding houses still standing today.

4. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life The Lowell System • Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile industry by hiring young unmarried women • Lowell built boarding houses for the women • The “Lowell girls” mad between $2 & $4 dollars a week & paid $1.25 for room & board • Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn money • Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days • Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic cough • Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile industry by hiring young unmarried women • Lowell built boarding houses for the women • The “Lowell girls” made between $2 & $4 dollars a week & paid $1.25 for room & board • Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn money • Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days • Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic cough

5. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Francis Cabot Lowell Young girls & other factory workers exposed to cotton dust developed health issues. Lowell girl running the loom.

6. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Workers Organize • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837

7. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Workers Organize • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 The Beginning of Trade Unions The Beginning of Trade Unions Workers begin to organize to gain more pay & better working conditions. Facing low wages, skilled workers formed trade unions to improve pay & conditions Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade unions to improve pay & conditions

8. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Workers Organize • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 The Beginning of Trade Unions Strikes for better pay and working conditions were sometimes violent. Sometimes labor unions protested by using strikes-refused to work until demands met Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade unions to improve pay & conditions Sometimes labor unions protested by using strikes-refused to work until demands met

9. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Workers Organize • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 Labor Reform Efforts Labor Reform Efforts Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day

10. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Workers Organize • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 Labor Reform Efforts Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day Over time unions gained concrete legal victories- kept fight to end child labor Over time unions gained concrete legal victories-kept fight to end child labor

11. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Mills Change Workers’ Life Workers Organize The Lowell System • Workers did not need skills of craftspeople to run mill machines • Mill owners had trouble fining workers • Slater began to hire entire families to work in mills (Pawtucket) • Slater built housing for his worker families & a company store • Children often worked in factories for lower wages than adults • Slater’s strategy of hiring families known as Rhode Island System • Many mill owners copied Slater’s methods • Francis Cabot Lowell changed the textile industry by hiring young unmarried women • Lowell built boarding houses for the women • The “Lowell girls” mad between $2 & $4 dollars a week & paid $1.25 for room & board • Many young women came to work for Lowell to earn money • Mill life was hard working 12 to 14 hour days • Cotton dust caused many health problems-chronic cough • Factories threatened craftspeople • Factories quickly produced low price goods • Wages at factories went down as immigrants competed for jobs • Competition for jobs also came due to the Panic of 1837 The Beginning of Trade Unions Labor Reform Efforts Facing low wages, skilled worker formed trade unions to improve pay & conditions Sarah G. Bagley formed Lowell Female Reform Assoc. to obtain 10 hr work day Sometimes labor unions protested by using strikes-refused to work until demands met Over time unions gained concrete legal victories-kept fight to end child labor

12. Ch.11 – The North Section 2- Changes in Working Life Mills Change Workers’ Life Workers Organize The Lowell System