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Questions and Answers
Describe the main goal of the Short-Time Committees and what methods they used to achieve it.
Describe the main goal of the Short-Time Committees and what methods they used to achieve it.
The Short-Time Committees aimed to promote the passage of a bill in Parliament limiting child labor. They used methods such as meetings, mass demonstrations, and collecting signatures to influence Parliament.
What were the Combination Acts, and what impact did they have on the British labor movement?
What were the Combination Acts, and what impact did they have on the British labor movement?
The Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800 outlawed unions and strikes in Great Britain. They suppressed the labor movement by denying workers the right to organize and collectively bargain, though workers continued to form unions despite the threat of punishment.
How did Richard Oastler contribute to labor reform, and what specific actions did he encourage among workers?
How did Richard Oastler contribute to labor reform, and what specific actions did he encourage among workers?
Richard Oastler initiated labor reform by criticizing child labor in factories and later led the Ten-Hour Movement. He encouraged workers to strike and child workers to sabotage factory equipment.
Explain how the 1833 Factory Act regulated child labor in textile mills regarding work hours and education.
Explain how the 1833 Factory Act regulated child labor in textile mills regarding work hours and education.
What was the significance of the 1847 Ten Hours Act, and whom did it primarily protect?
What was the significance of the 1847 Ten Hours Act, and whom did it primarily protect?
What were the main objectives of unions during the early stages of the labor movement, and how did they try to achieve these?
What were the main objectives of unions during the early stages of the labor movement, and how did they try to achieve these?
What advantages did skilled workers have in forming unions compared to the poorest workers, according to the text?
What advantages did skilled workers have in forming unions compared to the poorest workers, according to the text?
How did the British government's attitude toward unions change between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century?
How did the British government's attitude toward unions change between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century?
Describe the conditions that led Richard Oastler to write his letter to the Leeds Mercury in 1830. What was the subject of his letter?
Describe the conditions that led Richard Oastler to write his letter to the Leeds Mercury in 1830. What was the subject of his letter?
What was the purpose of the 1880 Employers’ Liability Act, and who did it aim to protect?
What was the purpose of the 1880 Employers’ Liability Act, and who did it aim to protect?
Flashcards
Who was Richard Oastler?
Who was Richard Oastler?
Sought to reform working hours and criticized child labor in factories in the 1830s.
What are Short-Time Committees?
What are Short-Time Committees?
Committees formed by workers to promote the passage of a bill limiting child labor by holding meetings and demonstrations.
What is Collective Bargaining?
What is Collective Bargaining?
Negotiations between workers and their employers for better working conditions and higher pay.
What were the Combination Acts?
What were the Combination Acts?
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What was the Factory Act of 1833?
What was the Factory Act of 1833?
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What was the Ten Hours Act of 1847?
What was the Ten Hours Act of 1847?
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What was the Employers’ Liability Act of 1880?
What was the Employers’ Liability Act of 1880?
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Study Notes
- Richard Oastler, a clothing merchant, sought to reform working hours.
- In 1830, he wrote a letter to the Leeds Mercury newspaper criticizing the employment of young children in factories.
- John Hobhouse, a Member of Parliament, read Oastler's letter and sought to introduce a bill limiting child labor.
- Workers formed Short-Time Committees to promote the bill's passage through meetings, demonstrations, and collecting signatures.
- The initial bill did not cover all industries, leading Richard Oastler to lead the Ten-Hour Movement.
- Oastler encouraged workers to strike and child workers to sabotage factory equipment.
- Unions engaged in collective bargaining with employers for better working conditions and pay.
- Union members could refuse to work if factory owners rejected their demands.
- Skilled workers led the way in forming unions due to their special skills and difficulty of replacement.
- Early unions primarily benefited the lower middle class due to the skilled nature of the work.
- The British government initially opposed unions, viewing them as a threat to social order.
- The Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800 outlawed unions and strikes.
- Despite the threat of jail or job loss, factory workers joined unions anyway.
- Parliament repealed the Combination Acts in 1824, and reluctantly tolerated unions after 1825.
- The Factory Act of 1833 forbade nearly all textile mills from employing children under 11.
- Children between 11 and 13 were limited to 48 hours a week, or 9 hours a day.
- Youths between 13 and 18 were limited to 69 hours a week, or 12 hours a day.
- Work periods were to include an hour and a half for meals.
- Children under 13 were required to have two hours of schooling per day.
- The Ten Hours Act of 1847 limited the workday to ten hours for women and children in factories.
- The first Employers’ Liability Act in 1880 granted compensation to workers for on-the-job injuries not their own fault.
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