Social Class and Education in 19th Century America

What was a major obstacle that prevented poor youths from accessing formal education?

What was the primary purpose of institutions like the House of Refuge in New York City?

What skills did Sylvester Lusk's farm in Enfield, Connecticut, aim to teach to boys and girls, respectively?

In exchange for their labor, what did apprentices like those at Sylvester Lusk's farm receive?

What type of industry did Samuel Slater's textile mills in southern New England represent?

According to the newspaper advertisement, what was the age range sought by Samuel Slater for his textile mill apprentices?

Middle-Class and Poor Youths' Education and Employment

Middle-class youths had opportunities for respectable employment through formal education.
Poor youths, however, remained in marginalized positions due to their families' financial struggles.
Pauper children who received education through institutions like the House of Refuge in New York City were often indentured to successful families as field hands or domestic laborers.

Indentures and Apprenticeships

The Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents in New York City sent its wards to places like Sylvester Lusk's farm in Enfield, Connecticut.
Lusk's farm provided boys with training in "the trade and mystery of farming" and girls with training in "the trade and mystery of housewifery".
In exchange for providing apprentices with basic necessities like food, clothing, and education, they promised obedience, morality, and loyalty.

Factory Work

Poor children also found work in factories, such as Samuel Slater's textile mills in southern New England.
Slater published a newspaper advertisement in 1794 seeking "four or five active Lads, about 15 Years of Age to serve as Apprentices in the Cotton Factory".

This quiz explores the opportunities for education and employment among middle-class and poor youths in 19th century America, highlighting the disparities in their experiences.