The working conditions were hideous during the Industrial Revolution. As factories were being built, businesses needed workers. There was a long line of people willing to work, so that, employers could set wages as low as they wanted because people were willing work as long as they got paid. People worked fourteen to sixteen hours a day for six days a week. Nevertheless, the majority of workers were unskilled, who only received about $8-$10 dollars a week, working at approximately 10 cents an hour. Skilled workers earned a little bit more. Women received one-third or sometimes one-half the pay that men received. Children received even less. Owners only aimed to make a profit at the lowest cost, so that they were satisfied.
Factories were not pleasant workplaces. The only light present was the sunlight that came through the windows. Machines spit out smoke and in some factories, workers came out covered in black soot by the end of the day. There were numerous machines without safety precautions. This led to many accidents. The workers only received a break for lunch and a break for dinner.
