Tyler Huch A2

3-5-15

The Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution caused many debates with different opinions

to spark about what to do. This clashing of opinions caused the creation of

Labor Laws. Before the creation of these laws, there were many positive and

negative effects of the Industrial Revolution, which eventually led to the

creation of the Labor Laws. Journals and excerpts have been recorded from

the time of the revolution, which contain evidence of these different

opinions. In these excerpts many different views on the Industrial Revolution

will be portrayed. These documents may provide the audience with points of view

that may have never been explored. Some viewed child labor as absolutely

revolting , while others viewed it as effective, or it may have even been a

neutral subject that wasnt an explored topic for others. There were many

positive and negative effects of the Industrial Revolution.

In this revolution many people thought that child labor laws were very

affective and that there were no problems with them, even though there was abuse

and misuse of children in factories as a result of child labor. Evidence of this is

shown in the excerpt from The Working Mans Companion subtitled The

Results of Machinery, Namely Cheap Production and Increased

Employment, which was published in 1831. It states that the industrial revolution
provided, an infinite number of comforts and conveniences within the reach of

almost all men, while everyday is adding something to your comforts. This article

states that the revolution had a positive effect in the way that it benefits the man

by making everyday things easier. This article is stating the views, that this

revolution made, was creating comforts for every man without acknowledging the

parts of children being killed daily for the making and use of the products by these

so called, men. Another excerpt from Andrew Ures article, The Philosophy of

Manufactures, proclaims that in his travels to many factories he, never saw a

single instance of corporal chastisement inflicted on a child that children would

thrive better when employed in our modern factories, than if left at home in

apartments too often ill-aired, damp, and cold. This document shows that working

benefits children in a positive manner. Lastly, a table shown as Document 8, from

The Industrial Revolution Effects shows that British iron production from 1740-1900

increased drastically. Iron production went from 17,350 tons in 1740, to 9,000,000

tons in 1900.

There were also very negative effects of the industrial revolution towards

children and adults. Evidence of this is shown in William Coopers testimony

before the Saddler Committee, in 1832. Coopers testimony states that he was,

ten years of age began at five in the morning and stopped at nine at nine in the

nighthad just one period of forty minutes in the sixteen hours frequently

strapped, and that he, had no time to go to day school. This testimony states

that children were often beaten, abused, and were given very short breaks. In a

second excerpt from Joseph Hebergams testimony to the Sadler Committee

states that, I have damaged lungs and my leg muscles do not function properly

will die within the year caused by overworking my brothers death was caused
from being cut by a machine and he died of infection both thigh bones broke and

from his knee to his hip the flesh was ripped up his hand was bruised, his eyes

were nearly torn out, and his arms were broken. This testimony shows that children

were killed and extremely injured due to the lack of safety regulations and a lack of

child labor laws.

Other affects of the Industrial Revolution are very neutral and dont really

have a positive or negative affect, but rather a neutral one. Evidence of this is

shown in a brief script from a pamphlet published in 1797, by the Society for

Bettering the Condition and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor. This

article states, 500 hundred children who are entirely fed, clothed, and educated

by Mr. Dale all of whom are capable of work are employed in and about the mills.

This is saying that that other child employers dont properly take care of children,

unlike this mill. This is also stating that there is a neutral opinion in this specific

community, because of the fair treatment of children in this specific mill. Another

example of the neutral opinion of the Industrial Revolution is found in an excerpt

from the Manchester in 1844, written by Leon Faucher (Frank Cass & Co.

Ltd., 1969). This excerpt states, the soil of which did not yield sufficient food

for the inhabitants Everywhere is to be observed a cleanliness which indicates

order and comfort. This exclaims that though the people didnt have enough food,

they did get paid and were living in a clean environment, which again states the

neutrality of this environment. Another article with this same neutral opinion is from

an excerpt called The Conditions of the Working class in England, written by

Friedrich Engels in 1844. It explains that, one or more slum areas where the

workers struggle through life group of little, one-story, one-room cabins. This is

also stating its neutrality towards the subject at hand.