Final answer:
During the industrial period, the two types of workers were skilled artisans and unskilled laborers. The industrial revolution shifted labor from handcrafted goods by artisans to mechanized production by factory workers, elevating new classes such as the middle class and defining new working conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two types of workers during the industrial period were skilled artisans and unskilled laborers. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, skilled middle-class artisans handcrafted goods. However, during the Industrial Revolution, the emergence of mechanized factories transformed labor by deskilling tasks and assigning repetitive tasks to wage laborers who were often inexperienced and unskilled. This shift created a new working class, mainly employed for hourly wages under often difficult and dangerous conditions in factories, as opposed to being engaged in agricultural work.
The middle class, including factory owners and supervisors, also rose to prominence during this era. In contrast to the working class, middle-class roles, particularly in the context of women, involved domestic duties rather than factory work. The transformation of labor also meant a loss of control for workers over their working conditions, contrasting with the relative independence of previous artisans and farmers.
Despite bad working conditions, industrial labor was more highly paid than agricultural labor, incentivizing workers to migrate towards factory jobs. While considered "free," the financial needs and poverty of the workers limited their choices and compelled them to continue in these roles to avoid starvation.