Artifact 1: (Britain, the builing of an empire !)

*~Child Labor in Cotton Factories~*

• Who created it?

Robert Southey

• Who is the author?

Robert Southey

• When was it created?

It was created in 1807.

• When was it published?

It was also published in 1807.

• Where was it published?

It was published in England.

• Who is publishing it?

It was published by Robert Southey himself.

• Is there anything we know about the author that is pertinent to our evaluation?

There is nothing about Robert Southey except for his opinions in the letter.

• Why does this document exist?

Robert Southey is concerned about the employment of children in factories and the long hours they work.

• Why did the author create this piece of work? What is the intent?

His intent is to show what it is like for a child to work in a factory, and how they do not have a good childhood or education.

• Why did the author choose this particular format?

 It helps the reader to feel like they are at the factory seeing the things for themselves.

• Who is the intended audience? Who was the author thinking would receive this?

 It could be anyone, but more likely it is for the people live in England, to show them what is happening in their country.

• What does the document “say”?

 He is showing how bad it is working in factories for these children, and he is saying that it should not be like this.

• Can it tell you more than is on the surface?

 Yes, it gives a good look at the author’s negative opinion of these factories.

• What can we tell about the author from the piece?

 He is probably a kind and concerned person that cares a lot about children.

• What can we tell about the time period from the piece?

 During this time a lot of people are poor.  The children are a problem for the parents and the parish.

• Under what circumstances was the piece created and how does the piece reflect those circumstances?

 It was created at a time when children worked in factories, and there were people who were not happy about this.  It gives a negative opinion.

• What can we tell about any controversies from the piece?

 There is a controversy between the people who care about kids and those people who want to use the kids to make money.

• Does the author represent a particular ‘side’ of a controversy or event?

 The author cares about the kids.

• What can we tell about the author’s perspectives from the piece?

 The author had a first-hand perspective.

• What was going on in history at the time the piece was created and how does this piece accurately reflect it?

 We know parents in England can’t afford to take care of their children.  In this article it tells how the parish and parents send children to work in the factories.

• What part of the story can we NOT tell from this document?

We can’t tell if the opinion of the factory owner or the author is more popular, and we can’t be sure if the factory owner is telling the truth.

• How could we verify the content of the piece?

Research other articles from the time period.

• Does this piece inaccurately reflect anything about the time period?

I can’t tell without doing research.

• What does the author leave out and why does he/she leave it out (if you know)?

The author leaves out how much they are paid, where they sleep and if they seemed healthy or not.  I don’t know why he left it out.

• What is purposely not addressed?

He didn’t tell about the poor children that did not go to factories. 

<<Reflection>>

1.
a) Which main topic does the artifact relate to? In what ways?

     A: Child labor and its impact on factories in the early 19th century.  It gives us a first hand look at the life of children in these factories. 

b) Which other main topics does it also relate to?
      A: It relates to family life, the way churches ran their orphanages, and the way factories changed English society.

2. Why did you choose this artifact, and how much time did you spend creating and/or processing it? 
      A: This artifact was the teacher's choice, and i spend about 2 hours on it.  

3. What insights and understanding have you gained from the creation and/or processing of this artifact?
      A: I learned that life for a child at this time was extremely difficult, and I wouldn't want to be a factory worker at this time.

4. Does this artifact reflect your best work and/or ideas? Why, or why not?
      A:Yes, I put a lot of effort into it, and wish my English ability was high enough to describe all of my ideas.

5. Rate this artifact on a scale of -5 to 5(0 is neutral) for the following 4 criterion:
    a) Impact on the quality of your Portfolio
    b) Impact on your level of happiness/enjoyment
    c) Impact on your learning
    d) Level of creativity and originality

A: a) 3

    b) 0

    c) 3

          d) 0

6. Any additional comments.

A: No