Post a New Question | Current Questions | Live Experts | Download
Homework Help: Social Studies: World Issues: Comparing Women in the Lowell Mills and Slaves on Plantations
During the 1800's, many women worked in textile mills and slaves worked
on plantations. Slaves and women lived under their owners and the owners
had told them what to do. The treatment the slaves and women got from
their owners did not make the mill girls or slaves happy. Thus they were
alike in a way. Mill Girls and slaves were treated the same in the 1800's.
Slaves and women both had to work hard on the plantations and textile
mills. "In cotton mills, cruelties [were] practiced [and] excessive labor
[was] required" (Luther 102). Also, women often grew tired of "The buzzing
and hissing of pulleys" (Larcom 59). They had worked with pulleys so
much, that they could not stand the sound of it. Likewise, slaves had to
work on plantations where "mosquitoes swarm[ed] in myriads more than half
the year-they are so excessively annoying at night" (Weld 70). They had
to work while mosquitoes were flying all around, which was very difficult.
Also, slaves had to take a "chance in the field with those who had to
weather the storm" (Stroyer 71). Even if there was severe weather, they
had to work on the fields. Finally, slaves worked so hard to take care of
their children while working, but there was the "probability of separation
in a few days" (Jacobs 73). Slaves had to fear when they would be
separated from their families. The slaves even begged and pleaded so that
their children would not be taken away from them when, someone wanted to
but them. Furthermore, the slaves and women worked so hard and had many
fears.
Many factory owners and slave owners did not treat women and
slaves properly. For instance, "The [female factory workers] were told
when, where, how, and for how much they must work" (Ware 93). Factory
owners controlled the women's every move. Also, women felt like they were
"A slave at morn, a slave at eve" (Man 61). They had no freedom to do what
they wanted to do, just like the slaves. In addition, the owners of slaves
felt as if "they [were] born to command" (Tocqueville 130). Likewise,
women had an "arranged working time throughout the year" (1840
Timetable). They would have to wake up at 6:30AM and would have to finish
their day of work at 6:45PM. Also, slaves were "not whipped for
complaining, but simply because [their] work was not done on time" (Kemble
132). If slaves did not finish their work quickly, they would be whipped.
Moreover, when slaves were inspected for buying, they were given "an
occasional kick to the older men and women" (Northup 135). Finally,
factory owners' and slave owners' treated women and slaves poorly. Women
and slaves often tried to stop the work and pain they were enduring. Women
would organize strikes often fighting for what they wanted. For example,
Sarah Bagley "accused the companies of making too much money and not
caring about the workers" (A Woman?s Place Is In The Factory 100).
Furthermore, women thought, "no more than ten hours shall constitute a
day's work" (Millstein and Bodin 129). They wanted to go on strike
fighting because of this reason. Moreover, slaves thought, "the only way
of out slavery was escape" (Huggins 136). They wanted to escape, and
slaves did escape. Others considered the fact that they would have to
leave their family, so some escaped as a family. Finally, women and slaves
tried to escape the work that they had to face by organizing strikes or
escaping.
The slaves and women were treated the same because they both
worked hard, their owners treated them poorly, and they both tried to
escape the pain they had by organizing strikes or escaping. Also, slaves
and women both grieved and had no freedom. They thought they could have
better lives. They had labor that took much courage to face. Mill girls
were definitely treated no better than slaves and were not any superior.
Homework Help: Social Studies: World Issues
For Further Reading
|
