What Role Did The Mill Girls Play In The Early Industrial Revolution

The early industrial revolution was a time of the biggest change in the American economy. Advancements in the textile industry, changes in social class structure and increased transportation infrastructure were defining aspects of the industrial revolution.

With the victory in the War of 1812 the Americans realized that it was time to produce goods in our country and to stop relying on Great Britain. The textile industry was the mark of change from home made products to products being produced in factories. There was a giant demand for cotton products and the south was producing the cotton at an extramental rate. To keep up with the demand Samuel Slater brought the “first power driven spinning jenny” to America. Slater used the outsource

Most of the women that worked in the mills where daughters of farmers in the colonies and they would later be known as the “Mill Girls”. Many of the same women that left their homes to go to the factories did not become lifetime factory workers. Most left the factories after a couple years to go out and start their own family. But it wasn’t before the “Mill Girls” showed that women are an important factor in the American family and a driving force in the success of the American

People were moving from the country side and into the growing cities for employment, middle class was re defined and working conditions were anything but promising. Many factory workers had to work and sleep at their place of employment and they were paid a very small wage for their production. With a growing economy and a demand for manufactured goods it would take an all hands approach to be successful and continue the successful independence of the country. The demand for workers to fill the factories to produce the goods increased the urbanization of America. Major factories were founded on major waterways with easy access to transport their manufactured goods throughout the country. “The number of cities with populations exceeding 5,000 rose from 112 in 1820 to nearly 150 three decades later.” This was a huge change from before industrialization started where the population was spread out through the states. The idea of lowering labor, costs, improving living conditions played a huge role in urbanizing America and bringing workers closer to the