What were working conditions in the US like during the late 1800s?

Terrible; there was no legislation in the government at that time that protected workers. Children worked in factories without protection, men worked in mines for 13 hours a day, and women worked in sweat shops making fabric. Now obviously this is a generalization in the sense that women didn't JUST work in sweat shops; children didn't JUST work in factories, etc. During this time period, managers and owners would lock the doors of the sweat shops so their workers wouldn't quit (which many tried to do, due to the harsh conditions). This was the primary factor in the high death count in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire of 1911, where over 146 people died and were not able to escape due to the doors being locked. Tragedies like these were able to push legislation through congress and create worker rights. However, in the late 1800's, there were barely any rights. There were many worker strikes from the 1880's to the 1900's. Many of the riots were suppressed by the government due to the fact that the progressive movement was still trying to gain traction in the government. Conditions only change when Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson (who are progressives) are in office.