JOB FOR THE LADY, PLEASE.

The Industrial Revolution was an era in which the world witnessed changes in Transportation, Agriculture, Textile, and Metal manufacturing. This era is deemed to be a revolution because it brought an end to the old ways of doing things. The Industrial Revolution began from the 18th to 19th century. Although the Industrial Revolution is tagged as a "revolution,” it occurred gradually. Before the Industrial Revolution, life revolved around farming and the average person made their living by cultivating crops. Garnering a year's living was based upon the farming seasons; life was difficult for the average person. Although individuals manufactured goods such as farming tools, textile, etc., but it was carried out on a personal and small scale.

Innovations in Agricultural practices brought about an increase of food supply and raw materials, innovations in the industrial and technology sector brought about an increase in production, adequacy and profits. All of these advances also provided job vacancies for citizens. There was a lot of job availability, so therefore there were economic opportunities for everyone including women, children, even slaves.

Children were also workers during the Industrial Revolution.

But the factory owners enjoyed the most from the economic opportunities. With the turn of the Industrial Revolution, labor was difficult in America; people worked very long hours with no vacation time and the pay did not compensate their laborious jobs. At times, factory owners would cheat their hardworking laborers by hiring them on yearly contracts and paying them at the end of the year. In fact, sometimes strict regulations were imposed upon laborers with hefty fines for those who broke them. The cheap and readily availability of younger women in the very beginning of industrialism caused the industrial era to experience rapid boom which also expanded the U.S. economy. So in general, there were economic opportunities but they were at the expense of the blood and sweat of laborers.

Women hard at work in textile and garment industries.

During the American Revolution, women were an integral factor of change. They occupied male-centric positions in order for their husbands and sons to be able to fight for freedom from the British Empire. Their handiwork was greatly noticed and appreciated; therefore when the Industrial Revolution arrived women would no longer stay at home all day long to attend to domestic matters as much as they did prior to the industrial boom. Women worked in the factories in the 1830s; in fact there were some job positions that were exclusively given to women alone due to the belief, by factory owners, that women had smaller fingers so therefore they could easily maneuver through the tasks. But after work, women were still expected to return home to carry-out the household domestic needs such as cleaning, cooking, and caring for the children. Some of the industrial positions held by women were textile weaving, textile spinning, etc. During the day, women generally enjoyed being away from the walls of their kitchen and the dullness of farm life. Being able to earn their own money and a living was very liberating, regardless of the inhumane working conditions of the factories.

Apart from financial liberation, factory-working women also experienced social liberation. The crowded, all-female environs of garment and textile factories established a feeling of community amongst women; they were able to form an alliance which helped to combat change and create a voice for themselves in a "man's world," at the time. One of the avenues they used to create a voice for themselves was through publications which described their working conditions and challenges, their triumphs and accomplishments and sometimes relaxing poems and essays. One of the notable publications, the Lowell Offering, was from the large textile mill in Lowell, Massachusetts.

A historic image showing women
contribution in society.

The Industrial Revolution was certainly a step forward for the acceptance of women in the workforce. Unlike the colonial era, women were now being allowed to make a living for themselves and their children; they could choose to either save or spend their hard-earned money. This sort of opportunity was pivotal for financial balance in households across America. Although the working conditions were extremely unconducive, women were starting to become recognized contributors to the society. There was more respect for women because no factory owner wanted to offend the architects of production in their factories. For the factory-women, working with fellow women who shared each other's pain and struggle created a bond, a community, an alliance which would become a catalyst for further improvements of opportunities for women in the society. The Industrial Revolution provided economic opportunities for women in the 1830s; they were not the best opportunities but they helped to create a gender neutral America which we all call home.