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Many families believed the industrial revolution would provide new opportunities for their families for the better. Rural families began to migrate into the cities looking for these new opportunities but only found disappointment. With the increase in salaries became the increase in cost of living. Not only did both of the parents have to work but the children as well. This meant many children were working in factories under harsh conditions. Child labor laws were not enacted during this time. Many had to work long hours, with little breaks, and with some working ender dangerous conditions.
Children did not belong in these factories however child labor was cheap, there were many children who had to work, and no one was against it. Around 1817 few American began to realize the harsh working conditions these children were being subject to and decided to call for a change. New law and legislation would soon be in place to improve working conditions and minimum working age. Another group who was affect by the industrial revolution was the Chinese immigrants. Immigration was steady during and after the Civil War.
Many Chinese immigrants came to America during the gold rush. Many American politicians noticed the increase in Chinese immigrants working at the mines either for themselves or others and they saw this as a threat. Politicians began to heavily tax the Chinese immigrants which lead them to finding others jobs, like the railroad. Many Americans still felt they were taking jobs which belonged to them and so the Chinese Exclusion Act of was passed by congress in 1882. This act ended Chinese immigration into America for nearly a century.
As mentioned before, all families had to work in order to survive during the industrial revolution. This meant the women were subject to the same harsh working conditions as the children were. The Lowell Female Labor Reform Association began petition campaigns asking for new legislation on working hours for women. Not only did this associations provide new legislations for women’s rights but they helped with other reforms as well. There were many people affected by the industrialization of America after the Civil War.