Section 4 Flashcards
What is a union?
A group of people in a certain trade which spoke for all of them and bargained for better working conditions and higher wages
What is the factory act ?
Stated that:
-kids 8 and under weren’t allowed to work
-kids 9-13 could only work a maximum of 8 hours
-kids 14-18 could only work a max of 12 hours
What is a laissez faire government?
A government in which leaders don’t care about its people’s needs and has the idea that people’s problems will fix themselves
Why were kids useful in mines and factories?
Because of their small size, kids could easily move through the narrow shafts and tunnels. Many kids were used to keep ventilation shafts in mines clear and were put in machines to fix them.
Why did people in the country move into the cities to work in the factories?
Because factories provided many jobs for people, and work was guaranteed
What problems arose as British cities grew?
The cities grew so quickly that little planning was given to housing, sanitation, and education, and cities were very crowded
What were the pros and cons of working in the city vs working in the country?
Working in the city meant plenty of jobs, hope for regular wages, and guaranteed work regardless of the weather, but workers also had half the life expectancy as it was more dangerous, and worked according to the clock instead of the sun. With country work, you could work with your family and according to the sun, and could spend time in nature, however, one bad season could bankrupt a family.
What social class expanded as a result of industrialization? How did landowners and aristocrats view these newly wealthy families?
The middle class expanded. They viewed the families as lesser people, and didn’t like how they got their money
Describe the class tensions that arose industrialized nations by the mid-1800s
The factory workers vs the factory owners. The workers were upset with the dangerous working conditions and low salaries.
How did the laissez faire government contribute to the class tensions?
The government continued to do nothing about the situation and only made it worse by siding with the factory owners
Why did workers form unions?
Because workers wanted better working conditions, and were more powerful as a group than on their own. They also weren’t allowed to vote
How did the British government react to the reforms?
They denied the workers the right to form unions and made it illegal. They threw people who tried to make unions in jail.
