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Child labor in the united states 1800
Child labor in the united states 1800
Child labor in the united states 1800
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Child Labor Reform At the beginning of the Industrialization in the 1800s children started to work in the factories. “In 1900, 18 percent of all American workers were under the age of 16 (Windham).” They performed hard labor for low pay. Many times committees and legislation tried to reform this issue. States would pass acts, but there were always loopholes for factories. No real defying law was passed until 1938, limiting child labor. Children were allowed to work in atrocious conditions for around 130 years (“Childhood Lost”;Hansan;Windham;Yellowitz). Through those years, children could not go to school because they were too busy providing for their families, and so the cycle of poverty and unskilled work could not be broken (Windham). The …show more content…
“In 1870, the first U.S. census to report child labor numbers counted 750,00 workers under the age of 15, not including children who worked for their families in businesses or on farms (Hansan).”`The child labor law of 1802 in Britain was not fully carried out until 1833 (Windham). The British acts against child labor in 1840 only prevented children from industrial labor and not agricultural work (Bentley et al. 683). The law passed by Massachusetts in 1836 was not enforced because the destitute families relied on the money their children made. Child Labor laws passed by the U.S. Congress were only lasted for two years because in 1918 they were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (Windham). The first child labor law passed by Congress to prevail was the Fair Labor Standards Act passed in 1938, which is still in effect …show more content…
Either they were not enforced or they contained gaps. Children continued to perform cruel labor even though there were reforms. The money children provided their families was so desperately needed that they had to keep working. Children endured the harsh conditions because if they did not they would starve. Even though there were plenty of reforms passed in the 1800s through the 1900s child labor existed up until 1938. “By 1911, more than two million American children under the age of 16 were working- many of them 12 hours or more, six days a week (Hansan).” It took around 130 years to finally end child labor, and it only really ended because men needed jobs and better machines replaced the work the children did (Yellowitz). Work Cited Bentley, Jerry H, et al. Traditions & Encounters: A Global Perspective On The Past. 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2017. “Childhood Lost - Child Labor During the Industrial Revolution.” Eastern Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, www.eiu.edu/eiutps/childhood.php. Hansan, J. “Child Labor.” Social Welfare History Project, VCU Libraries, 2011, socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/child-welfarechild-labor/child-labor/. Windham, Lane. “Child Labor.” World Book Advanced, World Book, 2017, www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar110760&st=child%2Blabor#tab=homepage. Yellowitz, Irwin. “Child Labor.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009,
Child labor started during the industrial revolution, cheap labor was needed, and the machines could be operated by children. Many children worked because of poverty, they were forced to work to help out their families. The lack of government regulations that enforced safety standards or that said how long the children were to work. They would work very long hours with nothing to show for it. Since children were so small they could fit into small spaces that the adult workers could
Young children were exploited and quick pace but an unnecessary burden on the children. In the early 1800’s, it was common to put children on dangerous machinery because of their small quick fingers, such as tying broken threads on the machine, while the machine was running. Child workers were separated from parents and placed under the supervision of strangers. Parents extremely disliked the unorthodox method of having their child work under someone outside the family. The improvement in machinery, humanitarian concerns, and parents convinced Britain to pass child labor laws in 1833. Not having children in the workforce created a new belief that childhood was for education, not for work. Labor discipline was one of the major reasons why child labor laws came into
Other factors also contributed in a major way to the decline of child labor. New types of machinery cut into the use of children in two ways. Many simple tasks done by children were mechanized, and semi skilled adults became necessary for the most efficient use of the equipment. In addition, jobs of all sorts increasingly required higher educational levels. The states responded by increasing the number of years of schooling required, lengthening the school year, and enforcing truancy laws more effectively. The need for education was so clear that Congress in 1949 amended the child labor law to include businesses not covered in 1938, principally commercial
When parents have to go to work all the time and they have to leave their child at home that’s because “they are working or having a job and child labor laws led to public education” (Document 2). As countries industrialized, they also urbanized. This was a result of people moving to cities in large numbers in order to gain factory jobs. “Child labor laws are in place and people are becoming healthier” (Document 6). Between 1908– 1912 Lewis Hine worked as the photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC). “They are working to contribute money to their family” (Document
During the Industrialization period, a child working was not an uncommon occurrence, but as time went on it began proving a large issue
Child labor was a continuous problem in factories and warehouses during the 1900s. Children were often times forced into dangerous, low-paying jobs by their own parents in order to support and provide for their families. When Congress attempted to limit the interstate commerce of products produced by children and shorten their workday, parents believed that this was abusing the authority of Congress by stretching it to local matters [Doc G]. This backward step in the prevention of child labor was nearly detrimental to the well being of the future generation. Socialists like Jane Addams rallied against child labor promoters and declared that children belonged in classrooms, not factories [Doc C]. In order to have a successful next generation, the children needed to be well-educated and intelligent human beings. Women activists and Muckrakers then publicized the mistreatment of children in the workplace and were able to evoke enough attention to persuade Congress to pass the Keating-Owen Act in 1916, the nation’s first law against child labor. As more and more attention was brought to child labor, women began to strive for attention and recognition of their own. As the World War progressed and moved its way into American life, women fought for the ability to govern and vote for themselves [Doc
...them to move in crowded spaces in factories or mines where adults would not fit. Children were easier to manage and control and most importantly paid less than adults. Although child labor has been substantially eliminated it still causes a problem in a few areas of the economy. The United States has yet to eliminate all abuse and violations. United States has come to meet the intentions of child labor reform byhelping to determine the laws and general practice andchildren should not be full time workers like adults. Meaning children should be in schooling programs getting their education instead of working in hazardous areas and putting themselves in harms way.
Swaying the minds of factory owners was a difficult feat because the owners loved child labor and supported the idea that it was good for the economy and character building to the children forced to provide for their families. The parents of the child laborers basically had no choice but to support the work due to the need of the extra income. There were some very important people that fought for the regulation, improvement, and abolishment of child labor despite the consequences. In 1833, the Factory Act began the first steps towards a better work environment. This limited the amount of hours allowed for children to work based on age. Children nine to thirteen were only permitted to work an eight hour shift. Fourteen and eighteen year olds could work no more than twelve hours a day. Also, children under the age of nine were no longer allowed to work at all. This made a huge improvement in the education of the children because they had to go to school for two hours a day at the minimum. Later, in the 20th century, activist went even further to protect the working children. The Hull House was founded by Jane Addams and the Children’s Bureau was established in 1912. This made it possible for child labor to be
Stock S. and Paredes D. (2012, August 31). Child Labor: Young Hands Picking Our Food. (n.d.).
Child labor is when children under the age of 16 work in jobs that are hazardous to their health. The main reason why child labor occurred is because factory owners, farmers, and mill owners needed more employees during the industrial revolution since children was a cheaper alternative than using adults and they are less likely to have a strike. Another reason why they were hired is because machines replaced hand labor jobs and the owners used them for their small hands and speed. These skills helped them maneuver small spaces and be quicker than the adults. Child labor in America during the 1800s to the early 1900s was very dangerous for the living conditions of children.
Child labor is epidemic that affects many children around the world. Around 168 million children around the world are in child labor. The peak of child labor, in United States, was in the 1800s. In the 1800s The Industrial Revolution began in the United States. During the Industrial Revolution the demand of handmade good rose, but the manufacturers could not satisfy the demand. So engineers made machines to help the manufacturers create their product. Many inventions were created at the time so many creators built factories to fit space for the machines. But, they soon realized Child labor had it’s benefits and some disadvantages. Many people
Child Labor has been something that we compress and do not talk about a lot and it was a prevalent and reoccurring action that happened during the industrial revolution. However, we been able to make major strides in the fight against it and in the United States it is nearly eliminated. Some of those changes include minimum age requirements, working conditions, hours you can work , overall pay, and the allowance for education. Back in the 1800s children got jobs out of necessity for money due to their families being extremely poor and unable to provide. Nowadays children get jobs to prove to others that they are maturing or earn money for themselves for either future endeavors or personal use.
Boys customarily began their apprenticeship in a trade between ages ten and fourteen” (IRWIN YELLOWITZ). “Both types of child labor declined in the early nineteenth century, but factory employment provided a new opportunity for children” (IRWIN YELLOWITZ). Children worked in a few places based on the time they were working in. They started at farms then they moved to factories as they industrial revolution happened.
These are the moments in our lives when we don’t have to feel encumbered and stressed with work. We can just be free and happy. Child labor has taken away those few moments in a child’s life and replaced them with fear, stress, and anxiety. Children are the base of our society. They are our future generation.
Children forced into harsh conditions, forced to work for long and never ending hours, all this for the bare minimum; That is Child Labour. It is a topic that I have been slightly drawn to for it is an important but tragic part in Canada's history. "What was a Labourer's day like?", this question is what I have been basing my research on as I believe it is something that can be quite interesting as well as insightful to understanding their situation. As everyone knows Children have been labourers for much of human history, they were usually seen as an economic asset for their families.