Title: What effects did the factory system have on the American social structure? - eNotes.com
Headings: What effects did the factory system have on the American social structure?
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What effects did the factory system have on the American social structure?
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The factory system was a shift from the traditional domestic system of manufacturing. In the domestic system, the worker used hand tools and simple equipment to manufacture products from home. The system allowed the individual to manage working hours and determine the output. The factory system, on the other hand, brought workers under one roof to work using advanced equipment to produce goods. Working conditions and output were all determined by the owner of the plant. Men, women, and children played different roles in the domestic system. Women and children were mostly expected to take care of the family and conduct the household chores as the men worked at production. However, the factory system introduced changes to the social system by bringing men, women, and children together to do the same work under the same roof. The factory system was focused on output and profits, which forced the factory owners to increase labor at all costs regardless of the social systems in place.