Before this time, most all clothing was spun and woven in the home by women. But by the 1840's, most was produced in factories set up in what were referred to as mill towns. Lowell Massachusetts was one such town. This change created a whole new idea of what women's duties were, domestic or money earning laborers? Women had previously only been seen as domestic and having one goal, that of being a housewife. Their move into town to provide a workforce for the clothing factories sparked controversy in many eyes. Some people branded them "mill girls" who were doomed and unmarriable. Others thought of them as adventurers, with the fancy of bringing new fashions, books and ideas home with them. But the stat

The Lowell factories provided boarding houses for the women, each housing up to sixty girls. To onlookers, the houses were so charming that many came to visit just to see how the women lived. The perceptions of outsiders were that the women worked and lived in great conditions. They enjoyed their jobs and were hearty and content, but this was not the case. The women often worked twelve or more hours a day and were only allowed up to an hour and forty-five minutes for meals, depending on the time of year. The factories were not properly ventilated and poorly lit. Eliza R. Hemmingway recalls that at any given time six or more women were out due to illnesses.

. Miss Sarah G. Bagley submitted the first petition to the Lowell Corporation that was signed by Mr. John Quincey Adams Thayer, and eight hundred and fifty others. This petition called for improvements in the overall working conditions within the factories. These demands for better conditions lit a spark that was the beginning of what is a modern day OSHA, a systematic law for all employers and employees. The corporation acknowledged that their demands were reasonable and considerable, but believed they were not the source for solving the problems the mill workers faced. They felt that the workers in a capitalistic system had their own bargaining power and were equal to management. As a result, the Massachusetts Legi

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lowell Massachusetts, Massachusetts Legislature, , Adams Thayer, Eliza Hemmingway, Sarah Bagley, Lowell Corporation, mill girls, mill workers, women lived, conditions factories,
Approximate Word count = 936
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)