Child Labor in the 18th Century Children in the 18th century worked many different jobs. Some of the jobs required lifting heavy materials or items, such as bricks. Other jobs required very little lifting, but still asked children to complete hard work by today’s standards. Despite the tasks, there were many reasons why these children working was dangerous. While working, children were abused and some even lost their futures. Labor in the Industrial Revolution was dangerous for children because the children were abused by employers and overlookers, they were deprived of their childhood, and injuries were very common.
Child abuse in the workplace was common during the Industrial Revolution. Children were affected either mentally, or physically by their employers and overlookers. This was stated in Document C, “The sons and a man named Swann, the overlooker, used to go up and down the mill with sticks. Frank once beat he till frighten himself.” Abuse can cause permanent scarring mentally, and physically. Abuse can also cause many injuries such as broken bones from being beaten. As stated in Document D: “ It is alleged that the children who labor in mills are often beaten by overlookers, that their feeble limbs become distorted by continual standing and stooping.” Being forced
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Children had to work 14 hours a day, and had hardly any breaks, and had no time for school. This is stated in Document D, which states, “ that in many mills, they are forced to work thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen hours per day, and that they have not time either for play or education.” The hours they worked left no time for education, or for play as stated in Document C, “Our regular time was from five in the morning till nine or ten at night; and on Saturday, till eleven, and often twelve o’clock at night, and then we were sent to clean the machinery on the Sunday.” Being able to play and go to school is a important part in child
Hine shows the acts enacted by the child workers, top help regulate and subjugate the parts and motors for the industrial machine, (Doc. 8). These motors, would tediously be replaced and worked upon, as the child workers used the necessary equipment to do the job, however most horrid and unsafe in design. The equipment used by the children, would have unsafe part, which would be harmful for limbs and the necessary body parts to live a daily life, and until later have no safety laws to restrain the uses on unsafe work equipment. Continuing on Hine’s photograph the children standing on milk cartons, waiting as the day goes away, they work hard and strong as their brittle bones begin to decay from the strain of the perilous hours, low control over labor makes the pain grow everlasting
(Document 7). This shows that some children weren’t properly cared for in their job. They later made rules to better the working environment for men and women. Children also started working at a very young age. For instance,” C:
The workers often became injured, losing arms and skin, because they got caught in the machines. The long hours with no nutrition in the dust and smoke-filled air of the factories led to many deaths and illnesses. Although some factories did not display poor working conditions, most did, and child labor was also a serious problem in the factories because the owners often took advantage of the children's’ small and skinny bodies to do harmful machine work. In The Philosophy of Manufacture, Andrew Ure wrote that he had never seen beatings inflicted on children and that the children were always cheerful and alert. This statement is opinionated and not entirely true because when a person visits a factory,
During this time period it was not just adults that were working. In order to support their families, children were sent to work as well. The new places of work such as mines, factories, or garment shops were wanting workers that could reach into small spaces and could do small tedious jobs , there is where the children come in.
(This picture shows seven children at home while their parents work) (Document 6). These children are not at work because of the child labor laws that came out of the first Industrial Revolution, although it looks like they could use some adult supervision because they are playing on a fire escape. “‘What time did you begin work at the factory?’ ‘When I was six years old.’ ‘You are considerably deformed in person as a consequence of this labour?’
While some might argue that industrialization had primarily positive consequences for society because of new machines, it was actually a negative thing for society. Industrialization’s negative effects were child labor, disgusting living conditions, and hard, dangerous, filthy jobs for little pay. One of the negative effects of Industrialization was child labor. Many children worked during the Industrial Revolution because they needed to support their families. Lots of them started working very young.
This next document shows the negative side of children working in the factories "This shows the ugly side of child labor, Lack of safety features/unsafe working conditions, the children working are very young they are obviously not in school/lack of education” (Document8). In this document they talk about how children working in these factories don’t get a good education, they do not have enough time to attend school. It also shows how they are very easily injured from working in these harsh conditions. Not only was there unequal pay for women, boys, and girls, but there was
Children were put into school to learn basic skills such as reading, arithmetic, and writing. This education would prepare them for the workforce by teaching them how to follow orders and take directions. Children would start working from a very young age. The working conditions were very unsafe with no disability insurance. The workers basically had no rights in the workplace.
The Industrial Revolution, lasting from the late 1700s until the early 1900s, was possibly one of the greatest time periods in this world’s history. This time period caused people to think more and dream bigger. From these big dreams rose up inventors, entrepreneurs, and business owners. The Industrial Revolution brought many new inventions and production processes, but along with great new things come great terrible horrors. While some might argue that Industrialization had primarily positive consequences for society because of the new production methods and what they produced, it was actually a negative thing for society.
While child labor is perceived to have a dark and unsafe past, it used to play an important part in the US economy. The role that children played in the workforce during the 19th century focused on manual labor. “Through the first half of the 1800s, child labor was an essential part of the agricultural and handicraft economy of the United States. Children worked on family farms and as indentured servants for others. To learn a trade, boys often began their apprenticeships between the ages of ten and fourteen” (History.com).
They also employed them because they were small and could go under and fix the machines easily. As children were expected to work at a young age in the Industrial Revolution time, they employed loads of children so than they didn’t have to do as much work and they could get more done at once. The jobs they done caused injuries frequently such as crushed fingers, broken arms, and even legs been pulled off. The factory owners did not force the workers to work they had a choice, either be homeless, or get underpaid and mistreated. The children had to fix broken machines and fix the broken threads, when they were still going.
The Industrial Revolution was a horrific time in the 1700s by the fact that it caused bad pollution and children would be worn out at the end of their work day. The greatest aspect of industrialization was that the kids and adults had good surroundings. “Of these there are 500 children who are entirely fed, clothed, and educated by Mr.Dale” (Document 6). The quote is evidence that shows the kids were well cared for.
Child labor during the 18th and 19th century did not only rapidly develop an industrial revolution, but it also created a situation of difficulty and abuse by depriving children of edjucation, good physical health, and the proper emotional wellness and stability. In the late 1700 's and early 1800 's, power-driven machines replaced hand labor for making most manufactured items. Many of America 's factories needed a numerous amount of workers for a cheap salary. Because of this, the amount of child laborers have been growing rapidly over the early 1800s.
Good morning to all! Today I will be talking about the working conditions during the industrial revolution. Well to start, the industrial revolution took place from the 18th century to the 19th century. The industrial revolution originally began in Britain in the late 1700s. To sum it up, The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes.
Child labor was a great problem in the Industrial Revolution. Factory owners usually hired women and children rather than men. They said that men expected higher wages, and they suspected that they were more likely to rebel against the company. Women and children were forced to work from six in the morning to seven at night, and this was when they were not so busy. They were forced to arrive on time and they couldn’t fall behind with their work because if they did they were whipped and punished.