What Really Happened During the Industrial RevolutionBy: Brianna TaylorWould you like to work fourteen hours a day, six days a week, for little or no pay? Although it may seem unreal to us today, this is what American workers endured during the era of the Industrial Revolution. Not only adults worked, but also children as young as three years old. Now you look at it and think what could a three year old have done? Back when factory managers simply saw smaller hands doing things an adult couldn't do. Looking back on the Industrial Revolution, I have four main reasons why the Industrial Revolution was more of a hindrance than a help to American workers: working conditions, child labor, long-term effects, and overpopulation . The Industrial Revolution lasted from approximately 1870 to 1900 (Collier p. 9). The Industrial Revolution was a time when new technologies were produced and people began working to make these products. Many inventions were developed during this period which made work easier and formed the basis of what we have today. Inventions like the cotton gin, the telephone and the steam engine. The main development that helped bring the Industrial Revolution to America was the transcontinental railroad. The railroad helped us move products across the country and ushered in the Industrial Revolution in America. The Industrial Revolution helped introduce the idea of ​​people working to make products and the idea of ​​developing new technologies to make work easier. The industrial revolution also contributed to the manufacturing of cars and cell phones. These things took a while to become what they are today, but they started back then. While this all sounds good, there were many negative effects... middle of paper ... the effects were pretty bad for the working class. People were just happy to have a job and earn what little money they did. I think these problems could have been solved if people didn't work as long and were paid more. If working conditions at workplaces were better, illnesses and physical deformities would not have been a problem. If conditions, not only working but also living conditions, were better, I think the problems I see with the industrial revolution could be solved. In my opinion, labor laws should have regulated the age of children and the length of time they can work. If this had happened, children could be educated and have time to play. As children, they should not be forced to work like this. Overall, the obstacles that the American working class had to overcome just to live and support their families were unfair and they should have been better..