From Mill town to Utopia essays

From Mill town to Utopia essays During the early 1800s woman were still not able to vote but were able to work. In the article, From Utopia to Mill Town. Women chose to work in mills instead of more formal jobs. Working in the mills allowed woman to get more pay and gave them a sense of freedom. Lowells Mills employed many women which were White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Many women in the mills were from New England farms. Having worked in farms for so long gave women the idea of routine. The women who worked at mills were those of low incomes and wanted to have independence from complete monotony. As viewed by most Americans if not all Americans those of low income dream of having a radiant lifestyle. Women who chose working in mills over traditional jobs such as teaching or house wife longed for that lifestyle Due to lack of labor laws women were forced to work 6 days being up before sunlight and ending at dusk. The women received $2.00 to $4.00. This was half the average working man. The women usually worked 12 hours a day depending on the season. Women were only given 3 holidays a year without pay. Working in the mills were unsafe environment for any mill worker to endure. Due to lack of knowledge of new machines many women were hurt. During the year the windows were nailed shut and women had to suffer the heat and dangerous fumes in the air. Critics even stated that women who worked in such conditions were going home to die. It was a very harsh time for women. Even though they were making okay money the effects on there body and safety may not have been worth it. The Lowell experiment failed due to increase hours and pay falling. The LFLRA (Lowell Female Labor Reform Association) and began protesting against wage cuts and increased hours in unsafe conditions. Soon the group of women left the mill and Lowell was forced to higher slow Irish women. These women were uneducated and often cost the mills more money t...