Employment

Societies, even before the Greeks and the Romans, maintained some semblance of law, harmony, peace and general balance by providing individuals within the groups with opportunities for survival (often, only bare existence) through harsh and dangerous working conditions plus 50 to 60 hours of labor per week. Clearly, this situation was never considered ideal by the participants, especially, the workers.

However, in Lowell’s textile centers (eleven, separate firms eventually prospered), low-skilled persons with a strong physical constitution, who were willing to trade repetitious and boring physical tasks plus ten to twelve hour work days for a modest semblance of a salary became the driving force of this Massachusetts, industrial miracle.