Conclusion
Optional audio recording of the text on this page.
Conclusion.mp3Vocabulary
Suffrage: The right to vote.
Mill Girls Helped Alter the Course of Women's History
When Lowell's first mill owners decided to use a workforce of mostly young women from New England farms, they altered the course of history for thousands of women. Instead of making everything they needed by hand, women earned money at their jobs in the mills and could purchase things they needed or wanted. Many made enough money to send some back to their families, pay for college, or save it for when they no longer worked in the mills.
Being in a city and around so many different people, the women were exposed to new ideas, like abolition, women's suffrage, and workers’ rights. All these women living and working together in one place was a new and radical idea. Being around other women provided them with the chance to find their voices and speak out for their rights and the rights of others. Harriet Hanson Robinson, the 11-year-old who led the strike, continued to fight for what she believed in her entire life, specifically abolition and women's suffrage.
This period in time shaped the future for women, opening up new opportunities and expanding their ability to make change in their communities, the country, and the world.
Mill Girls Help Alter the Course of Women's History Questions
Pull out your paper and pencil and answer the questions below. Later, you will transfer your answers to a Google Form to submit them to your teacher.
Based on what you have learned about life in Lowell and working in the mills, write a letter home to tell your family all about your experience. Provide specific details. Also tell them whether or not you would encourage or discourage other young people from coming to work in Lowell's mills.