The Lowell Girls: The Female Workforce Essay, Research Paper

Lowell girls worked in textile mills. They were called Lowell girls because the

textile mills were owned my Mr. Lowell. These girls became the first female workforce.

There are substantial reasons for becoming a Lowell girl and these women went on to

have a very big impact on the economy.

One may wonder why these women would leave the comfort of their own farms

to work in a textile mill away from their family and under strict regulations. This is

because becoming a Lowell girl gave these girls independence from their parents.

Women at this time were very repressed, so this sort independence was freedom they had

never experienced. The parents were not complaining either, because the girls were of

no use to their parents. The boys could be put to work on the farm, but girls were not

permitted to do manual labor on the farm. The parents and girls had no worries about

safety of the girls because the girls were protected from being taken advantage of or

being harmed in anyway because the girls were housed in dorms that were under constant

surveillance. Being a Lowell girl would be a prime opportunity for a young women

during this time period.

The Lowell girls had a big impact on the economy of this time. Due to the

embargo act, America was forced to develop some domestic industry. These textile mills

were run by these women. These textile mills in a way saved America, because

previously America had no means for manufacturing things. The impact of these women

on the economy was fully shown when they decided to go on strike. The textile

production came to a halt. These women had such an impact on the economy that when

they protested or went on strike, they always were given what they were fighting for.

In conclusion, the Lowell girls were in great numbers because of the many

reasons to become a Lowell girl. The economy of America was in a way saved by the

textile mills that were run by these girls. The impact of the Lowell girls was recognized

then, and still recognized now hundreds of years later