Daughters of Free Men

When the first American factories were built in places such as Lowell, Massachusetts, many of the workers were young women. Daughters of Free Men is about the women who entered New England’s textile mills in the 1830s: Where did they come from? Why did they go to work? How did they struggle to stay independent in a new world of opportunity and exploitation? (Length: 30 minutes)

Chapter selection

  1. Going to Lowell (0:10)
  2. Life in Lowell (5:57)
  3. Working in the Mills (10:00)
  4. The Mill Girl’s Life (15:43)
  5. Turning Out (18:36)
  6. Conclusion (25:30)

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Teaching Materials

Viewer’s Guide (.pdf)

See teaching activity for this film in HERB