Final answer:
Before the Civil War, the main type of workers in northern factories were low-paid unskilled laborers, including women and children.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the Civil War, the majority of workers in northern factories were low-paid unskilled laborers. Women and children were often hired for the lowest wages, but even men's wages were barely enough to live on. The factories relied on mechanized sources of power, such as water and later steam, to drive machines and carry out repetitive tasks. The workers had little control over their working conditions and faced long hours and difficult working conditions.
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