Christopher Aguilar Is Pain Ever Worth The Gain?

Life during the Industrial Revolution was not the best. People suffered for years, causing things such as starvation, diseases, and even death. The American people suffered greatly during this time period; therefore the pain was not worth the gain because of child labor, the extreme working conditions, and poor living conditions. A child working in factory is never a good thing, but during the industrial revolution children were forced too. During the 1890s there were 1.5 million workers under 15(McDougal Littell). This statement proves how factories were overflowing with children in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. But they didnt care because all they wanted and needed was money. Having children work for them was the least of their worries, it was unfair but people couldnt change the system. Not only was it bad that there were children working in factories, but they were paid 27 cents a day for 14 hours (Otto). Mr. Otto proves to us how child labor was in fact child labor was a horrible act. Children were forced to do this because their parents were getting paid so little, causing them to not be able to afford anything. Children were paid $5 of todays currency, at the time that was a lot of money for them, but today every child has at least five dollars of loose change. Having the duty to go to work was difficult to level out with school. Children left school at 12 or 13 (Otto), them leaving school was a great disadvantage because they wouldnt be fluent in reading or writing. They would

eventually be left behind of society due to them leaving school. Children need their education and making them leave school would prepare them to be part of the working class, and not the wealthy because of their knowledge. Children getting paid 27 cents a day, leaving school at 12, and there being 1.5 million child workers under 15 were the great disadvantages of the industrial revolution. It proves how the pain they went through was definitely not worth the gain. The extreme conditions people were working in were greatly unsanitary and unsafe. Factory employees worked 12 or more hours a day, six days a week, for low wages (McDougal Littell). Working people to death for low wages as what the industrial revolution brought. The revolution made many suffer of exhaustion and injuries and didnt pay for anything in return. There were no laws that ensured security for the workers, so it gave the owners right to do whatever interested them. They wanted to spend less money and wanted to invest more, factories were poorly ventilated, and employees often worked with dangerous machinery (McDougal Littell). Extreme heat caused dehydration throughout the factory leading to death. As well as the dangerous machinery that caused serious injuries or even death. It was bad that adults worked these machines, but it was even worse when children did it. But of course, the owner of the factory didnt care as long as they were making his money. The workers had no other choice because there werent many job offerings. Eventually, workers became sick and couldnt show to work. The Adults became to ill and children from 6 to 7 took over (Otto) this was insanity, children were introduced to great dangers which often lead to injuries and sometimes even death. Letting 6 to 7 year old work for

the factory was no problem because they wanted money. All the money in the world cant replace the human soul. Therefore, the extreme working conditions are a factor that proves the pain was not worth the gain. Finally, the final reason the pain was not worth it, is due to the poor living conditions. There was an over flow of urbanization due to the extreme growth of the industry. As cities became overcrowded, problems arose, such as inadequate housing, poor transportation, crime, and lack of clean water and sanitation (McDougal Littell). The overcrowding of cities made it difficult to live, it was a very unsafe environment but people had to learn to cope with it. Multifamily tenements became overcrowded (McDougal Littell) tenements were small apartments for large families at the time, they most of the time they didnt have insulation or a heater or an air conditioner. There were overcrowded because of the urbanization. Everyone wanted to work in the city, but they found out later It wasnt the best job. Tenement apartments, and unsanitary living prove that the pain was not worth the gain because of all the pain and death the industrial revolution caused during its time. In conclusion, child labor, the harsh working conditions, and extreme living conditions, all together were not worth the thousands of people that died during the Industrial Revolution.

Works Cited Page "Effects of Industrialization." The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2007. 27-28. Print.