American History: Lowell Mills, Industrial Revolution, and Workers

This report examines the Lowell Mills in Massachusetts during the 1840s, focusing on the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the textile industry and the lives of workers. The report highlights the establishment of the mills in 1820 and the introduction of integrated manufacturing. It discusses the employment opportunities provided by the mills, including the chance for education, while also acknowledging the challenges such as long working hours and the division between workers and factory owners. The report also touches upon the social implications, including the impact on the reputation of women working in the mills. The report references academic sources to support its claims and offers a comprehensive overview of the historical context and significance of the Lowell Mills.

Running head: AMERICAN HISTORY
American History
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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AMERICAN HISTORY
Here in this paper, the purpose is to understand the working conditions of the Lowell
mills in Massachusetts during 1840. I would rather say that this town had been built for textiles
during 1820 and the system of integrated manufacturing had really turned the system into a
positive manner (Murphy, Donnelly and McKean 2019). Various factories in Lowell employed
around 8000 people in Lowell and I think the working conditions were far better than other
places around the globe.
Through employment in the mill, I got the earning opportunity and it was a sense of
freedom for me. I also got better employment opportunities along with the chances for education
facilities (Murphy, Donnelly and McKean 2019). Some people have criticized this wage-labor
system. Later I faced some challenges like divisions between the workers and factory owners on
the basis of wages and long hours. The long working hours in the factories also posed a threat to
me and my family and the quality of the lifestyle was soon degrading.
The use of technology had great impacts in the development of the textiles industry and
therefore it was the beginning of the industrial revolution in the United States (Platteel 2019).
The reputation of women was also questioned if a female person from a family worked in the
mills.

2
AMERICAN HISTORY
References
Murphy, E., Donnelly, C. and McKean, D., 2019. In a City of Mills and Canals: Mortality among
Pre-teen and Teenage Irish Workers in Mid-Nineteenth-Century Industrial Lowell,
Massachusetts. Childhood in the Past, 12(2), pp.117-128.
Platteel, M., 2019. The Lowell Mill Girls: The Cost Of Academic Access For Women In
Antebellum New England.