This week in History, we learned about The Lowell Experiment, and watched a short film, Daughters of Free Men.
The Lowell Experiment was an industrial project to avoid the negative aspects of industrialization, and to make the mills more appealing. In the film, a young girl named Lucy was sent, by choice, to work in Lowell. Lucy was recruited by a mill owner who promised that she would get fair pay, proper education, and the ability to become a nice young lady. She made the decision to go so she could make her own money, have her own clothes, and experience more freedom and independence from her parents. Lucy felt very comfortable in her boardinghouse and was able to make friends, and got to have some free time. Her family liked the opportunity because they wanted Lucy to send home money, and have their daughter taken care of. Unfortunately, when Lucy was working, her coworkers went on strike twice, because they felt they weren't being paid or treated fairly. Their first strike did not work, but the second one did and they got what they wanted.
The 'Mill Girl Era' left a lasting impact on the perceptions of women during the 1800s. The girls worked hard outside of their homes, and made their own money. They also successfully lived away from their parents, and were educated. Many women went on to write for the public, and become abolitionists and women's rights activists.
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| "Daughters of Free Men" A documentary about a young girl at the Lowell Mills http://ashp.cuny.edu/ashp-documentaries/daughters-of-free-men/ |
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