Which best describes conditions in factories in the 1800s?

Women and children worked short hours

Working hours were similar to those of today.

Workers received frequent holidays.

Laborers worked long hours with few holidays.

In the early 19th century we are seeing the rise of capitalism and of the society divided in classes: the proletariat and the bourgeoisie become central features of the social order. It would still take some time until workers united to fight for their rights, so the first factories' laborers barely had limits for working hours and were massively explored (D).

The exploration of the workers would change only with their organized movement a few decades into the 19th century. The first example was the Luddites, English workers who would destroy machines in a demonstration as a form of protest. The organization of the working class in order to be paid for the full valor of their work would define the 19th century and develop a long legacy of ideas like socialism, anarchism, dialectical materialism, etc.

Answer: D: Laborers worked long hours with few holidays.