Describe the working conditions encountered by women and men during the Industrial Revolution

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
Students should recognize both positive and negative effects for industrial workers. On the positive side, many new opportunities opened up for those with particular skills, such as machinists and metalworkers. Wages for these specialties and others also increased. For other workers, the Industrial Revolution seemed like a nightmare. Most work was boring. Repetitive motions mandated by the mass-production system made workers feel disassociated from their work. Employers added new machines and ran them faster and longer. Health conditions deteriorated, causing infant mortality rates to soar and average life expectancies to plummet. Many factories sought women and children as laborers. National and international mass migrations of workers began, as workers moved from rural areas to industrializing cities. Industrial accidents were commonplace, and workers were allowed little say in controlling their workplace. The workday routinely lasted fourteen to sixteen hours.