what was one way the passage of the factory acts 1844-1847 affected labor

The Factory Acts of 1844 and 1847 in the United Kingdom were legislative measures aimed at regulating the working conditions and hours of labor in factories, particularly those employing women and children. One way these acts affected labor was by establishing limitations on the working hours for women and young persons in textile mills.

Reduction of Working Hours:

The Factory Act of 1844 limited the working hours of women and young persons (adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18) in textile mills to a maximum of 12 hours per day. This marked a reduction from the previous limits set by the Factory Act of 1833, which allowed for longer working hours. The subsequent Factory Act of 1847 further reduced the maximum working hours for women and young persons to 10 hours per day.

These legislative changes were significant in improving the working conditions for factory workers, particularly women and children, by limiting the excessively long workdays that had been common during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. While the Factory Acts did not immediately eliminate all harsh working conditions, they represented a step towards recognizing the need for labor regulation and laid