Child Labor During the Industrial Revolution

Cotton production during the Industrial Revolution played an important role in English history. The revolution was brought on by the development of new technologies, which included the invention of machines capable of producing large amounts of cotton fabric. The resulting shift in cotton production from home to factory began in 1760 and was complete by about 1830. The industrialization of cotton production transformed England in many ways, including rapid urbanization and the introduction of children into the factory workforce. It can be argued the cotton industry would not have been so successful without the use of children; however the effects were detrimental to their well-being and eventually led to the passage of a series of laws to limit child labour.

Before considering the reasons for and impact of child labour, it is necessary to provide a brief overview of the Industrial Revolution in England. The 14th century saw England shift from an exporter of raw wool to manufacturer of quality woollen textiles. The two main events that took place, which allowed this to happen were: the Hundred Years’ War and Bubonic plague. The Hundred Years’ War was a battle between the English and French, which, began in 1337. During the war, King Edward III of England created a wool monopoly in an attempt to raise funds to help support the war effort. This was achieved by taxing the export of wool to Flanders and the Low Countries. As a result, the production of woollen textiles decreased, and provided England the opportunity to capitalize on the shortage. It was also during this time the Bubonic plague struck Europe killing somewhere between a third to a half of the population. The effects of the plague were devastating for the most part, but...

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...dren aged thirteen to eighteen.

The last act that will be reviewed is the Education Act of 1880, which made school compulsory for all children between the ages of five and ten. Even though the Act made attendance mandatory for children in this age group, only eighty-two percent of children were attending school by the early 1890s. Many children continued to work as their families desperately depended on their incomes to order to make ends meet.

The cotton industry brought unprecedented growth to many towns and cities in the Lancashire area. The economic prosperity of the cotton industry laid heavily on the shoulders of the many children who worked in the mills, often to their detriment. Eventually a small group of people fought for the well being of child labourers and a number of labour laws were passed which aimed removed children from factories all together.