During the Industrial Revolution, workers in America and Britain had bad working conditions, like low wages, long hours, and no breaks for meals. However, in each country, a different set of working conditions was created because of the differing economic and social situations of the two countries.
Britain had had a recent population boom, and they had limited land space. There were lots of poor children who could be employed in terrible conditions with low wages because their families needed the money. America, meanwhile, was expanding. They had a small population which was moving westward. Factory owners would have to provide a much more attractive workplace with higher wages in order to have parents send their girls there.
As a result of this, Britain's mill working conditions were much worse than those in America. In England, children were beaten if they did their work wrong. Their days started earlier (5:30) and they only got one short break for lunch. In America, however, mill workers were paid higher wages, given more free time, and breaks for meals. In both countries, however, it was very dangerous to work in the mills. Accidents with the machinery were common, and often near-fatal. Nearly half of children working in British mills were disabled in factory accidents. People could be caught in the leather belts of the machines, or catch their fingers in spinning bobbins, or be crushed by falling bales of cotton.
While both countries did not exactly have stellar working conditions, British mill workers were definitely worse off.
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