The power loom, a symbol for American prosperity and ingenuity, is in addition a symbol of upward mobility, exploitation, and opportunity for one of the most disenfranchised populations at the time of its use: women. The first American power loom, created by Francis Cabot Lowell , was an important tool of the American textile industry and contributed to the modernization of technology throughout the nineteenth century. With this power loom, Lowell was able to create an efficient and profitable cotton mill business. After his death in 1817 , Lowell’s partners decided to expand the company, which meant an increased demand for a hardworking and agile workforce. Lowell’s enterprise, now known as the Boston Associates create, “a labor force that
