The Negative Impact Of The Industrial Revolution On Women

Social circles and family spheres were also greatly impacted by the Industrial Revolution. In particular, the shaping of modern society is seen through the shift of population to urban areas. Modern urban areas, made up of skyscrapers and highly clustered buildings, emerged from the rising steel industry. The steel industry, an imperative business to transportation and architecture, began making buildings which grew upwards instead of outwards. This allowed more housing in compact cities for the newly arrived countrymen searching for jobs. However, not all reactions to the Industrial Revolution were positive. Factories had poor working conditions, including long hours and low wages, in addition to poor living conditions. With less time designated to homemaking
The rising concern over living conditions and demand for improvement, urged the government to pass laws and regulations to improve the everyday lives of citizens. Concerning the poor living conditions, in 1875, the Public Health Act was enacted which ensured public health for housing and sewage, the first steps in cleaning up the housing and streets of European citizens (Sahoboss). The harsh working conditions were mainly focused on women, but also extended to children. Factory roles for children involved remaining in one position for hours on end and only using one set of muscles, resulting in numerous health defects, such as sicknesses and permanent physical deformities (Gaskell). For this reason, children were outlawed from working in factories and instead, attended school (Pettinger). The modern education system directly relates to the Industrial Revolution’s practice of child labor, which caused a push for new ways to occupy their time. In 1880, the Education Act was passed which required children up to age ten to attend school. The act was then revised in 1918 to include children up to the age of 14