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