The Lowell System

The Lowell System Jodee Rigor 7Stars

Made by Francis Cabot Lowell,

Lowell System invented in 1812- 1814.

Loom, spun thread, weave cloth in same mill

Based on water- powered textile mills, production faster

Located along the Charles River

The first complete cotton spinning, weaving mill in U.S.

Successful during Industrial Revolution

Water as power, sped up the working process

Workers: young unmarried women from farms (Mill Girls)

Ages 15- 30

Women had comfortable living conditions

Given room and meals

Average stay: 4 years

Workers wanted to work on mills

Didn't want to work on family farm

Wanted to be independent, and have own money

Work hours: 12- 14 hours a day

Rooms in factories hot and stuffy

Can't open windows, air will blow threads around

Dirty air causes breathing problems

Decline

Transition to working in farms to factories difficult. Repetitive tasks were a bore.

25% wage cut, organized union, went on strike. Strike failed.

Depression of 1837- worsened Lowell System

System worsened in 1840s after Depression and strike

Wages cut, but workers expected to increase production

Owners seeking cheap labor, after strike

Relied on lower class: Irish immigrants

By 1850's, system abandoned completely

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by PublicDomainPictures - "cotton plant bolls" • jackmac34 - "romania wool weaving" • Sir Hectimere - "Devon Spinner" • BostonPhotoSphere - "Charles River & Boston Skyline" • WaltiGoehner - "millwheel waterwheel water power" • andic - "mill wheel water waterwheel" • juliejordanscott - "Lowell Mill Girls" • obpia30 - "clock time stand by" • Foto-Rabe - "industry sunrise clouds" • Unsplash - "wind farm farm rural" • SD-Pictures - "industry sunrise sky" • TBIT - "dollar bank note money" • skeeze - "workers construction site"