Child Labor In The 1800s

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). Child labor also had a growing demand in the manufacturing sector. “Before the Civil War, women and children played a critical role in American manufacturing, though it was still a relatively small part of the economy. Advances

This was due to the common occurrence of a job forcing a child into a dangerous scenario, such as work in a textile mill or coal mine, without sufficient protection and training. The realization of the dangers associated with child labor made people realize that change was required. The initial push for change in child labor laws started in 1902 with the Progressive Era. However, the Progressive Era was initially ineffective in inhibiting child labor. “But many Southern states resisted, leading to the decision to work for a federal child labor law. While Congress passed such laws in 1916 and 1918, the Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional” (History.com). While there were efforts present as early as 1916, it took another 22 years for child labor to officially become illegal. While many people focused on the legislative aspect of the Progressive Movement, there are other aspects that are more important for our argument. This movement also discusses the role that education and public awareness campaigns played in the reform

As early as the initial movement of the Progressive Era, people had begun to consider the role of pursuing education in a child’s future. This way of thinking could then encourage parents, or the children themselves, to avoid child labor at such a young age and enroll in education so that they may profit further at a later point in life. This idea associated with the Progressive Era may have influenced (and increased) the educational enrollment figures that Goldin alludes to. While the logic behind this is true, it is unlikely that just the talk of pursuing further education had such a drastic impact on the child labor force and its decision to shift to attaining higher levels of education. The real shift occurred with the legalization of the FLSA in 1938. For many children in the country at the time, this act made it illegal and impossible to find a job under the age of 18. While there were exceptions to this rule, such as agricultural work, there was no opportunity for this kind of work in all areas of the country. This forced children to go back to school. If they are not allowed to work, it makes the most sense to invest in human capital so that they may earn more for themselves as they grow older. Goldin argues that the increase evident in her data of enrollment climbs due to a delayed demand for schooling. However, when you consider