Life As a Factory Worker During the Industrial Revolution

1351 Words3 Pages

The factory system, that developed during the Industrial Revolution, had a large impact on society and the lifestyles of the citizens of England. Beginning in 1760, many people were forced move from their farms outside of the major cities to inside of the cities. The farm landowners closed off their land and they were no longer available to lease, which caused numerous workers to lose their jobs.The development of machines that were water powered, such as the spinning jenny and water frame, made the process of weaving and spinning cloth easier and faster. With these technologies, the textile industry flourished and factory owners became very wealthy by forcing workers to work long hours for low salaries. Their low wages did not afford them to live comfortably, which meant that many people had to live in crowded buildings that were unsanitary. Not only did these factory workers have poor living conditions, but the working conditions in the factories were dangerous, especially for children. Life in England changed a considerable amount during the Industrial Revolution and the views of citizens were altered. After moving to the city from the country, workers had to adjust to the new demanding pace of working. Factory owners required a more disciplined work space than the farm that the workers had been used to and they were no longer their own bosses. Factory owners would fine their workers if they left work early to return to the village for a festival or gathering, as it disrupted the flow of the other workers. Most workers worked six days a week, fourteen hours per day, and no paid holidays or vacations. Even on Sundays, child workers were expected to clean the machines and attend church services. Children were normally between th... ... middle of paper ... ...uane C. The Way People Live. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2006. Print. Deary, Terry. The Vile Victorians. London, UK: Scholastic, 1994. Print. Hall, Walter Phelps, Robert Greenhalgh Albion, and Jennie Barnes Pope. A History of England and the Empire-Commonwealth. Waltham, Massachusetts: Blaisdell, 1961. Print. Hibbert, Christopher. The Horizon Book of Daily Life in Victorian England. New York: American HEritage, 1975. Print. The Industrial Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. . King, Neil. The Romantics. New York: Evans Brothers Limited, 2003. Print. Mitchell, Sally. Daily Life in Victorian England. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1996. Print. Modern World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2014. .

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