Women in the 19th Century Workforce

Women in the 19th Century Workforce

Assessment

Interactive Video

History, Social Studies, English

9th - 10th Grade

Hard

Created by

Patricia Brown

FREE Resource

In 1846, John Greenleaf Whittier's poem highlighted the alliance between wage-earning women and enslaved women. Despite working in factories, women distinguished themselves from enslaved women, valuing dignity and economic survival. They entered the workforce without expectations of upward mobility, driven by patriotic duty and family commitment. By 1840, women formed half of the factory workforce, becoming the first industrial proletariat. They measured success by wages and years served, yet societal expectations pushed them towards marriage. Despite challenges, they maintained a sense of dignity in their work.

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10 questions

Show all answers

1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What was the main theme of John Greenleaf Whittier's poem written in 1846?

The struggles of wage-earning women and enslaved women

The beauty of nature

The power of industrialization

The importance of education

2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What did the poem by Whittier suggest about the relationship between wage-earning women and enslaved women?

They had no connection

They shared a bond of struggle and desire for dignity

They were in constant conflict

They were indifferent to each other's plight

3.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

How did wage-earning women in factories view themselves compared to enslaved women by 1845?

As equally oppressed

As having more dignity

As having no differences

As completely free

4.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What were some of the reasons women entered the factory workforce?

To escape family responsibilities

To travel the world

For patriotic duty and family commitment

To gain wealth

5.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What societal need turned women into the first industrial proletariat?

The demand for luxury goods

The expansion of the agricultural sector

The need for more teachers

The lack of an adequate supply of workers

6.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

By 1840, what proportion of factory workers were female?

One quarter

One third

Half

Two thirds

7.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

How did women measure their accomplishments in the factory workforce?

By the number of promotions

By wages earned, years served, and items made

By the number of friends made

By the amount of leisure time

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