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Period: to
Worker's Rights Changes Between the 1800s-1900s
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Cotton Mills and Factories Act
The first act to improve working banned any child under the age of 9 from working. Additionally, anyone under 16 wasn't allowed to work more than 12 hours a day. This law helped prevent life threatening child labor from occurring in the future. -
Factories Act 1833
This act prohibited any children under 9 from working in the textiles industry. Additionally, 10-13 year olds were only able to work 48 hours per week. Also all children were required to have 2 hours of schooling up to age 16, and only be able to work certain hours of the day on a school night. This law decreased the future injuries to children, and also made education mandatory which helped future generations. -
"Mill girls" protest of wage cuts
Mill owners wanted to make a cut of 15-20% to the woman working in their mills. In 1834, woman protested against this cut in salary. This didn't work out, as many mill owners would go bankrupt, and there was no one to enforce it. These protests were extremely important because it was the woman working who layed a foundation for future mill workers and their needs to prevent gender inequality. -
1835 General strike for 10-hour day in Philadelphia
Since the request for an 8-hour day, 6-day week didn't follow through, and 20,000 workers starting in Philadelphia began a protest to not be forced to work so many hours. It worked very well, and by the next year there were nationwide strikes occurring all the time. This event started a multitude of following strikes to protect people's health against long, dangerous work requirements. -
Lowell Female Labor Reform Association
In New England, a group of woman gather to petition for their rights and try to bring equality in the work world for woman. They petitioned for 10 hour work days because they thought it was unfair that they could be forced to work more by their employers. This resulted very successful, and in later years they got a lot of things changed for woman. -
Factories Act 1844
This act made it a law that children ages eight and thirteen and woman would have reduced work hours required, and would be given one and a half hour breaks total for food and rest. This prevented injuries due to being overworked, and gave women along with children for the first time, less required hours. -
New Hampshire's 10-hour-day law
In 1847 New Hampshire become the first state in America to enforce a 10 hour work day for people of both genders and races. This helped overworking men and woman forced to work more that this amount by their bosses. -
National Labor Union founded
Willian Sylvis created the National Labor Union in order to prevent racial discrimination in jobs. 200000 people of all abilities joined this union to get jobs (however at this time people of color and woman couldn't join) which changed their lives. -
Works Cited
"Early National Organizations." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 31 July 2016.
"1834 Lowell Mill Girls "Turnout" to Protest Wage Cuts." Massachusetts. 31 July 2016.
"Labor History Timeline." AFL-CIO. 31 July 2016.
More, Ramone. "Shut 'er Down. Philadelphia 1835." Daily Kos. 2 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 July 2016.
Simkin, John. "Spartacus Educational." Spartacus Educational. 3 Sept. 1987. Web. 31 July 2016.
"Social Welfare History." Social Welfare History. 05 June 2012. Web. 31 July 2016.
