Question

Using information from the reading by Harriet Robinson, do you believe that factory work at the Lowell Mills was an expansion of women’s rights or an exploitation of women? What effects did it have on the women who were employed?

Answer 1

It was much of an expansion of women’s rights. The effect of employed women are their self-respect.

Explanation:

In 1832 the Lowell village of Massachusetts that had became more than a factory village, five new factories were opened in the village. Due to high demand of help in working class like labour the wages were also very high. This news spread in all over the England and people from fat estates and locations started coming in large numbers to get employed. At the time when Lowell Mills started the condition of factory girls was very poor and miserable and even lowest in all working class. They were in affect of high injustice.

They were supposed to be the subject and to influence their purity and their self respect must be destroyed. But in Lowell Mills they were getting high payment and wages and it was the first time. They were working only fifteen minutes in every hour and spending rest of time in their own.

So this was very respectful and kind to them so the girls who were mostly aged between fifteen years old to twenty years old decided to be mill girls rather than having opprobrium. So this how they earned money and self respect for them and also they saved money to help their home and their brother’s and kids education.