Question

Why did factories readily employ women and children? They could be paid lower wages. They would not join a union. Owners were reluctant to lay them off.

Answer 1

I believe your answer would be They could be paid lower wages. ^-^

Answer 2

The correct answer is option (a), women and children were hired because they were paid lower wages.  The Agrarian Revolution made people to move to cities and the Industrial Revolution made people belonging to lower social classes to feel exploitated. Factories were full of workers, the relationship between the employer and employee did not exist any more since in cities nobody knew each other. We could say that the poor became poorer and the rich became richer since Capital were held in few hands. Women and children were the ones who suffered the  most since no regulation on the part of the government protected their rights. The first step to protect them was taken in 1833 with the "Factory Act" passed by Parliament, this Act limited the hours and ages for children being allowed to work.