Glassworks Cottage Industry and Historical Inaccuracies

How this Project Changed Me

This project has changed me because I learned that despite Glassboro being the great town it is today, it was not always that way. From child labor to companies trapping their employees into an endless cycle of work, I have realized that it is important to understand the history of a place in a global context. Today, Glassboro is a thriving, modern college town, but in reality the town was built on the backs of those who suffered. Much like the British empire profiting off of their colonies, Glassboro's Glassworks profited off of those who had very little choice. This included young children who were indoctrinated and trapped in the company for life, trading their skills and craftsmanship for wages that went right back into the company. 
Additionally, I learned that history is not always what it appears to be. In our current climate of constant fake news, which has exposed people spreading false information about others during an election, it is apparent that in people from previous generations would have been very difficult to fact check information. The nature of history has often been passed down by word of mouth, generation to generation, until someone writes it down and it becomes fact, but even with facts there can be bias. However, between when events occur and when they are written down facts are highly susceptible to to misrecollection, falsehoods, or pushing an agenda, which means that almost anything that we accept today as fact, when it comes to history could actually be a lie or bending of the truth. When doing historical projects it is important to keep this in mind you may discover that a long held historical fact or story is actually based conjecture, an assumption, or myth. In conclusion, I feel enlightened to have learned more about Glassboro’s past and am happy that I was able to play a part of shaping how its history is presented to the next generation. It is important to know the history of where you live and since I plan on being here the next four years, I am happy to learn more about the cultural history and how it impacts and shapes the place I go to school today.

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