Women in the 1800s lived a very controlled and unvoiced life, without having a vote or
a lot of say about anything that happened in their life, as is discussed in “Women-At Home, in
The Lady’s Book, vol.2,1831. If a woman’s home was not kept clean and decorated in an
acceptable manner, her character was judged as deficient in taste and neatness. “Such a
woman would as likely as not wear black stockings with a white dress –roses in her beaver, and a
cap to save the trouble of combing her hair.”
Women were also judged by the manners and dress of their children, the
fashion and richness of their clothes. If the children’s clothing and manners were not at an
acceptable level, the mother was perceived to be ignorant or not caring about the well-being of
her children. If a women’s home, no matter grand or small, and her children were clean,
mannered and tasteful, she was then said to posses good judgment ,good sense and correct taste.
When women were allowed to work, they were not treated to fair working conditions as
discussed in “Female Workers of Lowell,” the Harbinger, 1836. The between seven and eight
thousand young women that lived in Lowell, mostly daughters of farmers in different parts
of New England. They were forced to work thirteen hour days in the summer time and from
dawn till dusk in the winter. “So fatigued –we should say exhausted, and worn out are numbers
of girls that they go to bed soon after evening meal, and endeavor by a comparatively long sleep
to resuscitate their weakened frames for the toll of the coming day.” They were awakened by
bells going off at four in the morning and they were to arrive at the factory by five. There were
watchman who took notice of their arrival, keeping track of the women who arrived late to the
factory in the morning. There were industrial discipline procedures in place to improve
punctuality.
The women were allowed thirty minutes for breakfast at seven, thirty...