Notes

WAGES
Children as young as six years old during the industrial revolution worked hard hours for little or no pay. "They [boys of eight years] used to get 3d [d is the abbreviation for pence] or 4d a day. Now a man's wages is divided into eight eighths; at eleven, two eighths; at thirteen, three eighths; at fifteen, four eighths; at twenty, a man's wagesÐ About 15s [shillings]."
Treatment:
The treatment of children in factories was often cruel and unusual, and the children's safety was generally neglected. The youngest children, who were not old enough to work the machines, were commonly sent to be assistants to textile workers. The people who the children served would beat them, verbally abuse them, and take no consideration for their safety. Both boys and girls who worked in factories were subject to beatings and other harsh forms of pain infliction. One common punishment for being late or not working up to quota would be to be "weighted." An overseer would tie a heavy weight to worker's neck, and have them walk up and down the factory aisles so the other children could see them and "take example." This could last up to an hour. Weighting could lead to serious injuries in the back and/or neck. Punishments such as this would often be dispensed under stringent rules. Boys were sometimes dragged naked from their beds and sent to the factories only holding their clothes, to be put on there. This was to make sure the boys would not be late, even by a few minutes.



Child Labor during the industrial revolution

Today children go to school for 7 hours then come home and do their homework. Children these days work for their own money around the age of 15. Common jobs include small errands for neighbors or babysitting. During the industrial revolution kids as little as 3 years old would work up to 19 hours per day, with an hour break a day total. Many children in the late 1800’s lost their childhood. The only thing they had was work and home.

Child Labor started in the late 1800’s. There were many reasons why child labor started. One of the reasons was that children are easy to control while grown adults can go on strikes, and fight back. Another reason was that children didn’t have to be paid as much because the children needed work. Another reason is that children had to support their family if they wanted to eat. Meaning they needed the work. Lastly children fit into small places, for example small kids worked in small mines where adults couldn’t fit.

Children's usually worked in mines, glass factories, textiles, canaries, and home industry’s. Most of these places are filled with hazards that can kill them. Most kids got beaten by their factory owner. If children came late to work, they would have to be weighted. Meaning the children would have to walk up and down the factory aisle, naked with a chain tied around their neck. This lead to many kids having back and neck injuries.

Children’s safety was affected during the industrial revolution; it was known as one of the darkest time periods in history. Children even worked for free, and if they tried to escape or run away, they would be whipped in the ankles with an iron stick. Most of the kids that worked weren’t paid anything because they were orphans who had nowhere to go.

Children could still be working in factories if it weren’t for the laws that made child labor illegal. In 1836-1904, three laws were made saying kids must attend schools 3 months per year. Then a law was made saying kids can only work 10 hours a day, then lastly a law was passed saying kids can’t work until the age of 15. That law lasted until 1918. In 1924 federal government granted the authority that they have the right to regulate child labor; this law never took effect. Then in 1936 the U.S government refused to buy anything that’s made using underage children. After a few years in 1938 the government successfully had authority to regulate the hours in which the children work. If all these laws never existed, then child labor could potentially still be going on.

A child with an education was very rare back then. They didn’t have much of a choice because parents depended on their income. Kids had to work so much that, they didn’t have time for school. Nobody realized back then; but kids not going to school affected many generation of children. Without an education, their most likely not going to be able to have a job that makes enough money to get out of poverty. The kids worked for about 1 to 2 cents a day (sometimes not getting anything at all). Children Today don’t have to work. Because of child labor laws strictly saying that kids can’t work until their 13 years old, and by the time kids are 13 they would’ve had an education. Making the percentage of people in poverty lower.

Child labor in the industrial revolution still affects children today for many reasons. Children may not have realized that they have helped us alot. They made sacrifices for their family and their health just to get food on the table. No kids back then had education, so because of that a child’s education is very important today. Child labor gave children today a chance to have a childhood and to spend time with their parents or have a play-date with their best friends.

Child Labor has affected many children today by giving the children rights, even though it took a while it still happened. Every kids should be proud for the long hard battle to make sure kids are going to school and not working.