2. +Lowell+Mills

Francis Cabot Lowell

Boston Importer

Importing business was horrible because of Embargo and War between France and England

Made the world's first factory able to convert raw cotton into cloth by power machinery

Hired the virtuous daughters of New England’s farmers

In 1834 the Lowell Mill Girls went on strike

They wanted more money

In 1836 the Lowell Mill Girls went on strike again

75 percent of workers were women

Unique at the time

Workers ranged from 10 years old to middle age

Known as an innovative use for women

Workers were daughters of farmers in the New England Area

Only women of good character were hired

Could be fired if they were caught smoking, drinking, cursing, or anything similar to that

Women were required to go to church

They had to live in boarding houses under close supervision

They worked about 70 hours a week.

Mills were open Monday through Friday and had a half day on Saturday. Mills were closed on Sundays.

Women could go back home for two months in the summer.

The Lowell System was a large scale system that put the Lowell Mill Girls in the best shape to work

New Employees were paired with older ones

Hours of work were 5 am to 7 pm

Overseers were male

Each room could contain about 70 - 80 women

There were 8 units in each boarding house 20 to 40 women in each unit.

The Lowell Offering was a newspaper for the girls. It had songs, poems, and spoke about life.