Child Labor During The 1900's

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Cruelty of Child Labor

Even though poor families would rely on the income of their children's labor as a supplement of income, child labor should not have been accepted during the 1900’s. Child labor effects malnutrition, children's health, premature ageing, and length of their life shortens depending on the job they have because children's brain development depends on interaction with other kids and learning about their environment and surroundings like attending school were they could learn instead of working in unsafe areas. Child labor was a big issue during the 1900’s, but not that many people were aware of it. That's why people like the muckrakers were helping society by spreading awareness. It states in the article Child Labor “it …show more content…

In this article it states “The factories were often damp, dark, and dirty with few toilet facilities. The machines and sharp tools used performing various jobs caused many injuries”(History of Child Labor in America). Working in factories was dangerous back then. Corruption and abuse towards workers was very frequent. The rich got richer and poor got poorer, barely any workers got out of poverty during that time. The workers had no voice in their work, they continued to live there poor repetitive lives over and over again. Injures were very common for children because factories were not safe and no one was taking care of them. It states that “Fatigued workers cannot do their best at work or school. Mill work was hazardous and among its dangers were splintered wood floors that could cause trouble for bare feet. Lint in the air was another problem. Breathed in, this lint could cause a fatal disease known as brown lung”(Child Labor and the Textile Mills). Children were very young when they started working. Instead of attending school many of them were busy working and helping their families. Factories employing children were often very dangerous places leading to injuries and even deaths. Machines were so fast in factories body parts could easily get stuck and cut off legs and arms like butter. Besides machines the environment was disgusting, the air was horrible for one's lungs and caused many other diseases which society did not know about. Especially for children, these nasty environment setting was bad for their development, malnutrition, and length of children shortened. As children continue to work during their life they end up with chronic diseases from the dirty factory

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