Men During The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the late 1700s and is defined as the movement to powered machinery. Before, work was done by hand, but five key factors changed everything. The agricultural movement increased the food supply and decreased the labor and cost of food. This led to the population boom essential for the Enclosure Movement. The Enclosure Acts allowed the rich to fence off estates, which forced the growing population into cities, creating a large labor force. Great Britain then used its capital to invest in machines and factories that would be powered by large amounts of natural resources. Finally, goods could be sold to Great Britain’s colonial empire to support the economy. Though the Industrial Revolution created
Though some worked in factories, most men worked in the coal mines. After the invention of the steam engine and more efficient ways of purifying iron, the demand for coal drastically increased, so the dangerous job was given to the working class men (“Coal Mines Industrial Revolution”). For long hours, men mined coal in confined caves with heavy pickaxes. The mines were incredibly hazardous, and the hard labor created many health issues for the men. Some of these dangers included flooding, cave-ins, and explosions that led to death. Women and children were also expected to work in the mines, carrying carts of coal. Pregnant women were even expected to work until they were going into labor when all women would be bedridden (“Coal Mines Industrial Revolution”). Though work in the mines seemed like the most unpleasant job anyone could have, the small jobs in the mines were not the only hard laboring jobs for
Women were utterly exploited in their workplace. They were often given the lowest skilled jobs with the lowest pay. Workdays reached over ten hours long with few breaks to eat. Not only did these women devote all of their energy to their manual labor, but their bosses and husbands bullied them. At work, bosses threatened to fire or beat women, often carrying around a whip. Many purposefully messed with the machinery, and women were even sexually harassed. After a draining day at work, females entered their second job. Not only were they expected to equally provide for the family, but they were in charge of home life. They cooked, cleaned, and endured more disrespect from their husbands. Without rights, they were not even valued by the public, which caused many psychological issues for the women. These long days and mental struggles made life even harder for the youth who had to support their families, instead of the other way