Industrial Revolution Dbq

The industrial revolution began in the 18th century. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, multi-purpose machinery, factories and mass production of many goods. Many more people were aloud jobs that weren’t available prior to this period in time. However, the industrial revolution brought along many negative circumstances: pollution, child labor, and unequal pay.

The development of factories and new machinery brought upon environmental hazards. “As the Industrial Revolution spread to the United States, plants such as this textile factory appeared. Soon the production of exports outpaced import of goods, and by the late 1800s America emerged as the world’s largest industrial power. This success did not come without a price; however, industrial

“I am at work in a spinning room tending four sides of warp which is one girl’s work. The overseer tells me that he never had a girl get along better than I do … I have a very good boarding place, have enough to eat … The girls are all kind and obliging … I think that the factory is the best place for me and if any girl wants employment, I advise them to come to Lowell” (Document 1) Girls are paid much less than men when they work at factories and employers believe that they are less skilled than men. As seen in document one a girl is working four sides of warp where men may work less and get paid more because they are a more valuable extension to the factories then women. A poem from the period titled My boy (Document 2) reads, I have a little boy at home, A pretty little son; I think sometimes the world is mine In him my only one …[Before] dawn my labor drives me forth Tis night when I am free; A stranger am I to my child; And he one to me. Unequal pay was a huge factor back in the industrial revolution; Employers chose to have young children work for them because labor was cheaper. Kids were often looked down upon as employers and that they weren’t worth as much as adults. “[From] 1908 - 1912 Lewis Hine worked as the photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC). During this time he documented child labor in American industry in an effort to support the NCLC’s efforts to end the

“During the 1800s there were few laws in Britain regulating the employment of children. Elizabeth Bentley testified before a parliamentary committee investigating conditions among child laborers in Britain’s textile industry.”(Document 7) Child labor was among the worst non -laws among factories and business owners. Children were forced to work long hours and as a result never obtained and education. Kids also were treated badly if they didn’t do as they were told. “Between 1908 - 1912 Lewis Hine worked as the photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC). During this time he documented child labor in American industry in an effort to support the NCLC’s efforts to end the practice” (Document 8). In a picture that Lewis Hine took in a factory showed bad result of child labor. The child he took a picture of was shown working wit absolutely no shoes on and that was obviously not safe for them to be doing. Kids were also working dangerous achiness that could possibly sever a hand. Child labor cause death, lack of education, and possibly severed