Students then write an essay describing a mill girl's life.
Review with students the development of mills in New England and the use of farm girls as a work force in growing industrial cities. Point out that farms girls who left home to work in a mill city, such as Lowell, Massachusetts, moved into a very different world. This world is reflected in the letters they wrote to family members. Distribute copies of the Living and Working in a Mill Town worksheet to each student. Tell students to complete one worksheet for each letter they read.