Important Social Changes
Sweatshops· Just imagine "a work environment in which employees suffered from extremely low wages, unsafe working conditions, long hours, and job insecurity.” This would be the definition of a sweat shop. People might have a hard time imagining that America once relied on the help of the sweatshop workers to make many of the goods that they used. From a business standpoint this was a great idea, because they paid their workers very little and received an enormous pay off for the hard, hard work that they go suffer through. From a moral and ethical standpoint, this is a horrible way for people to earn a means to support and provide for their family (6).
· Because of the horrors that went along with the sweatshops, like safety and health, unions were created such as “…the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union, which crusaded for better wages, safer working conditions, and shorter hours.” (6) · This video to the right shows and explains how bad the conditions were back then (6) |
|
Hull House Then!· The Hull House was a settlement house for immigrants. This meant that the doors were open to any new comer to Chicago that needed a home to stay in and get settled. It was created by Jane Addams and Ellen Gate Starr who moved into the “not so nice” neighbor and created a headquarters for families or people in need (2).
· Some people would have loved to ask them why in the world they decided to move into a terrifying neighborhood with all types of people disputing. But “their reasons are complex. Their action was part of a social movement that sought to solve the problems of an urban and industrial age…” This would be a huge social advance for immigrants needing a somewhat stable environment (2). · Through just this one house came so much help and support in the community. It created outreach programs to help the poor community. It would offer evening clubs and classes for the people that stayed there and for the ones who wanted to come to the Hull House to visit. Some examples of some classes would be Drawing, Art History, Social Science clubs, Shakespeare, physics, and everything in between! It was such an important place for people to go (2). |
Hull House Now!· Throughout the years the Hull House has turned into many different things and resources. It is now under a larger corporation spanning out miles upon miles of Chicago. In the place of the Hull House there now is a Theatre, centers for working with the elderly and The Hull House Association also lent a helping hand to domestic violence. The association wants the people to re-create the effects of the Hull House and use its power to evoke change within many communities (2).
· It is now a non-profit organization that is set up for people on welfare. Their mission though, is still the same even after all of these years (2). Here is a Google Map of the Hull House Site and where the Historical Building now is!!
|
Children working in textile mills and factories |
Child Labor Laws· Child Labor was an immense social change in the Industrial Revolution because children were being put to work in the huge machine factories in poor conditions like the sweat shops (6).
· These conditions were often very terrible on the children’s health and safety (6). · After several petitions, the National Child Labor Committee was created to help the abuse of children in the workplace. Before this was implemented in the North, the South decided that they would not create such a thing. Therefore, the South reveled on the idea that it was doing better economically than the North. However, all “good things” must come to an end after federal court cases were won on the behalf of Child Labor Acts (6). |
Population· The Population of the United States was increasing at an alarming rate.
· One of the most influential reasons as to why there was such an increase in the population of because of all the immigrants coming to the states. · “Between 1800 and 1870, more than 6 million immigrants settled in the United States.” This is a huge spike in the population, which at that time, was a great thing because of the Industrial Revolution. People were needed in the factories and the mills, so they welcomed the immigrants to the country in hopes that they would work for them and work for them for less! (6). · Another reason as to why the population increased was because of the same reason, people needed to have their children work in the factories and make money. The children wouldn’t be allowed to go to school or anything fun because they were expected to go to work at an early age. |
|
|
Immigration· Immigration was an important aspect of the population like previously discussed but it also connects many of the social aspects of this page. For example:
o Sweatshops were inhabited with not only young children and women but immigrants as well. They would usually work for less money as well which didn’t help the American Labor Unions. o The Hull House was a base or a safe haven for immigrants coming to the United States and was there to offer support, education, food, and shelter. o Child labor was also a problem with not only the American children but the immigrants as well! They had to provide for their families just like US citizens (6). · Some people like Richard T. Ely “favored immigration restriction in order to prevent foreign workers from undermining wage and employment levels in the United States.” Therefore some people did not welcome immigrants with such ease and grace as like Jane Addams would have (6). |