Effects Of Exploitation Of The Lowell Mill

upon society caused that exploitation to be overlooked. This lens being the idea that if something was positively affecting the economy, the exploitation it caused was overlooked.
Not only did the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts cause intense resource exploitation, but the exploitation of minorities occurred through the mill employees. The workers at the Lowell mills were the young daughters of New England Farm families. At first glance, it seemed that these girls were living the dream with their own magazine, impressively huge factories and well-maintained boarding houses. Although appearing impressive, the real factory life was a day full of long, tedious, and repetitive work with strict rules. Some strict rules included being fined …show more content…
The servants here had very little amounts of food and rest. Not only were they subject to poor conditions but they often had very strict rules. In most contracts the servants could not buy or sell property and they were prohibited from marrying. If a female servant gave birth to a baby with a man they were not married to she could either have her indenture extended, have to pay a large fine, or get whipped and often all three punishments were received. One of the most intense acts of human exploitation through indentured servitude was displayed when masters would extend a servant 's contract after their indenture was already completed or extend it while selling them. A danger that female servants had to be frequently aware of was sexual abuse from their male masters and the physical abuse from his wife. Not only would the men rape the female indentures, but once the girl became pregnant they would extend her …show more content…
After all, many believe that although the lens the American Dream placed on society overlooked the exploitation of minorities and resources, the positive effect that exploitation had on the environment made it worthwhile. For example, the question this argument raises is that without this exploitation, would America be the place that it is today? Without fur trading, how would the Natives and French maintained peace? With no way to successfully power the textile mills how would early industrialization have changed? What would be different if no working class had been established? Most significant to this argument, what would America look like today without indentured servitude, and most importantly, without slavery? While these are all valid points, this argument falls short because even though these acts of exploitation were beneficial to the early American economy, and without them America as we know it could be very different, it is never justified to sacrifice the equality and well-being of minorities or resources for economic