Francis Cabot Lowell built the nation’s first cotton factory in Waltham Massachusetts in 1813. Unable to find enough men to work in his mills, Lowell decided to hire farm girls to do the work. Women at the time could not own property or live on their own. At the time, many men had moved west, but there was a large supply of women who wanted jobs in the factory. The work was dangerous and consisted of long hard hours of boring activities.
Short Essay Writing Question:
Why would a young lady in 19th century Massachusetts want such a job in one of Lowell’s factories?
