While it was true that they lost the economic independence that their families’ had as subsistence farmers, by moving to work at the hands of a powerful capitalist, they gained a different type of independence for women living in the 19th century. Outside of the tedious labor, many of the mill girls created a full and expressive life for themselves; whether that be a life of comradery, a life of writing, or a life of standing up for what is just. For example, they wrote powerful and poignant thoughts in both the Lowell Offering and the Voices of Industry. They found ways to remain spiritual and to connect with the scriptures and with God. They built communities with their fellow operatives. They organized protests to fight for fair working
