Child Labor During the Industrial Revolution

Young workers, often as young as 6 or 7, who worked in various industries during the Industrial Revolution.

Rather than paying adults, factory owners hired children for cheaper wages, often for jobs considered too dangerous or tedious for adults.

They worked long hours, often exceeding 12 hours a day, in unsafe conditions, with minimal pay, and deprived of education.

Children were exposed to dangers like injuries from machinery, lack of education due to long workdays, and illness from unhealthy environments.

Families facing poverty often had no choice but to send their children to work to support the family's survival.

Over 1,000 laws were passed to regulate working conditions and limit child labor, but many laws didn't apply to immigrants.

Many argued against regulating child labor, claiming it was essential for economic growth and development.

Attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution to grant federal control over child labor failed due to opposition.

Children working in factories often lied about their age to get jobs, motivated by the need to provide for their families.

Children working in factories faced difficult conditions with long hours and dangerous situations.

Child laborers organized unions to improve working conditions and fight against unfair treatment by factory owners.

Many child laborers worked on farms, where they faced harsh living conditions, long hours and lack of basic necessities.

The National Child Labor Committee advocated for federal legislation to protect children from exploitation in the workforce.

States mandated education as children in the workforce rose, making it mandatory for children to attend school.

Lewis Hine, a photographer, captured the realities of child labor through his images, documenting the harsh conditions and young workers.

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established minimum age requirements for working and prohibited interstate transportation of goods manufactured by children under 16.