Women in the Factories Create More Opportunity for Women to Come

            In the 19th century thousands of women risked their lives working in dangerous factories for countless hours almost every day. But their suffering was worth more than they expected. Their work in factories started a movement, to create equal rights for women within society. The women’s hard work in the factories paid off and eventually led to equal rights for women and men.

            Many women were motivated to go to the mills. The video that our history class watched called Daughters of Free Men showed that going to the work at the mills was an opportunity for a girl to become independent from her family. Working at the mills also enabled the girls to make their own money. Once the girls got to the mills they gained confidence and were able to stand up for themselves, especially in front of men. The video shows an example of one of the first times society had seen women standing up to men. Women who worked at the factories made a protest against men, asking men for higher wages. Although this protest was not successful the first time it was a big step for women in society and the second time factory women protested against the men they won the protest.

            The title of the video that our history class watched was Daughters of Free Men.  This title represents how women were seen in the nineteenth century. The title emphasizes that men were considered free, but women were not.  If women were considered free the title would be Daughters of Free Men and Women, but they weren't considered to be free.

            Industrialization lessened the demand for home-produced items, which created a demand for more workers in the factory. The document “The Changing World of American Women” explains this by saying “As trade grew and the importance of home-produced goods declined, gender roles evolved in new directions." Mill girls changed the common perception of women because they took part in the unladylike profession of manufacturing (“The Changing World of American Women” document). Mill girls broke the social norms of women. The mill girls were seen working outside of home, living away from their families, getting an education, writing for the public and were also seen in the labor reform. The strength that mill girls gained through their work at factories made a feminist movement possible in 1850, and this movement challenged the restrictions that were on the lives of women.

The hard work and sacrifice that was displayed by the factory women helped pave the way for the many opportunities that women experience in today’s society.  Today women are respected members of the work force and enjoy equal opportunity to pursue the same careers as men.  Women today owe much thanks to the factory women from the 19^th century.