What change did the Industrial Revolution bring to working hours?

The Industrial Revolution significantly transformed the nature of work, leading to unregulated and often extended working hours as industries sought to maximize productivity. Factories operated under the goal of continuous output, which led to workers frequently enduring long shifts, sometimes exceeding twelve hours a day, seven days a week. This was largely due to the demand for labor in newly established manufacturing processes and the need for businesses to increase profits.

The lack of labor regulations during this period meant that workers had few protections regarding their working conditions or hours. Child labor was also prevalent, with children working the same long hours alongside adults. This situation created an environment where exploitation was common, and the work-life balance was heavily skewed in favor of production output.

In contrast, the other options reflect changes that were more ideological aspirations or later developments rather than immediate realities during the Industrial Revolution itself. While some later movements did aim for shorter hours, the prevailing trend of the era indicated that working hours became longer and less regulated, making option C the most accurate representation of the changes that occurred during this transformative period.