Mill Girls instructions
Watch the Working women Click to view of Lowell video, read about the experiences of Harriet H Robinson and Lucy Larcom, and study the National Park Service Mill girls brochure. Answer the following questions:
1) Why did women enter the factory labor force at this time?
2) What was life like for women working in these textile mills?
3) How do you think "the possession of money" changed the lives of the mill girls? Do you think this had an impact on women in general?
4) What did Harriet Robinson think of the strike?
5) How does Lucy Larcom think that the mill experience influenced the girls? How do you think it impacted her life and identity?
6) Was this a liberating or exploitative experience? CHOOSE ONE of the following options
a) argue the case that Lowell was an exploitative situation and mostly a dead end for working women.
b) argue the case that young women were liberated by the opportunity at Lowell.
Part II - Post your response to question 6 to the Graded Discussion board