Child Labor In The Early 1900s

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. Some of the problems children experienced were health issues, extended hours, and not getting an education. Instead of getting an education the children would work. As a result, when they became adults they didn’t know how to read and write and couldn’t get a professional job. In order for children to receive a better education, reform movements were made by teachers and church members to end child labor. Lillian Wald and Florence Kelley were some of the leaders of

However, Congress tried to pass another law in 1918 and 1922 but it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. By the mid-nineteenth century people agreed that an education is necessary, so the United States created laws that helped make children attend school and get a professional job when they become adults. “This led several states to establish a minimum wage for labor and minimal requirements for school attendance” (Trattner). Child labor was similar to slavery in ways because of the harsh treatments that the children had to faced. Thanks to reform movements, children were saved from working long hours and health issues that caused them to be