A Factory Worker’s Life — Reading Comprehension

During the Progressive Era in the United States, many people worked in big factories. Factories made things like clothes, shoes, and tools. They used big machines to make products faster. Many workers were immigrants who had come from other countries to find a better life.

The workday often started early, before the sun came up. Factory workers walked or rode streetcars to their jobs. They wore simple clothes because the work could be dirty and dangerous. Inside the factory, the air was noisy and hot. The machines were loud. Workers had to stay focused and careful.

Many children worked in factories, too. Some were as young as eight years old. They worked to help their families earn money. A famous photographer, Lewis Hine, once said, "Perhaps you are weary of child labor pictures. Well, so are the boys and girls in the pictures." The jobs were hard. Kids carried heavy things and worked for long hours.

Accidents happened often. Without safety rules, workers could get hurt by moving parts. Some factories were crowded and dirty. Workers felt tired and sick. They wanted better pay and safer jobs.

In time, workers began to join together in groups called labor unions. Unions helped workers speak up for their rights. They asked for shorter workdays and more pay. They wanted laws to protect people at work. Some workers held strikes. A strike is when workers stop working to make a change.

Factory owners and workers did not always agree. But over time, new laws were made. Children were not allowed to work so many hours. Factories had to follow safety rules. The lives of factory workers began to improve because people worked together for change.

Interesting Fact: Some workers spent more than 12 hours a day in the factory before new laws helped make the workday shorter.

What did factories make?

Who worked in the factories?

What is a labor union?

Why did workers want new laws?

What happened when workers went on strike?

How did new laws help children?

The workday started before sunrise. True or false?

What does safety mean?