Child Labor
19th Century Britian by: Kegan Watford
Jobs Children Did in Factories
- Children cleaned the machines while they were still operating, some children lost limbs while others were crushed by the huge machines
- Many accidents and deaths occured by working on or under the machines while it was still running
- Sometimes, they would work 19 hours a day with minimal breaks and in terrible conditions
- In match factories, children were forced to dip matches into dangerous chemicals called phosphorous( which lead to rotting of their teeth and some children died from breathing the dangerous and harmful chemicals)
Young Children Working in a Textile Mill
Children were forced to operate big machines that could easily harm them and also possibly kill them
Hours, Food, and Working Conditions
- The most children worked was about 19 hours a day, but usually they only worked 12-14 hours a day with little time for breaks, the food was unhealthy and often made them sick
- Orphans of all ages were the main target for jobs because they paid them with food, shelter, and clothing( which was below standard)
- Children were treated as slaves for little pay
- Many accidental deaths occured due to no care and unsafe working conditions
Kids eating Lunch
Children were fed unhealthy lunches and often got sick and became weak
Accidents that often Happened
- Unguarded and unprotected machines were a major problem in factories that killed and injured many children
- Limbs were often stripped to the bone and sometimes chopped off
- Not just physical accidents happened, some kids would drink ale and get drunk out of stress and the tiredness led to more accidents
- Textile mills were the most dangerous factories during this time period
Accidents that Happened
This boy was injured and lost his leg due to working in a dangerous factory
Punishments Children Faced
- If you failed to keep up with the overlooker's required time then kids were usually hit with a whip or strap
- In some factories, kids were dipped head first into dirty water if they were sleepy to wake them up
- Children were also beaten for arriving late to work
- Some claim that kids were beat to death by the overlookers if they fell behind in there work
Kids in Prison?
Children were sometimes thrown in prison if they ran away and were caught by police
Efforts to Improve/Stop Child Labor
- In 1836, Massachusetts required children under the age of 15 that worked in factories to attend school
- In 1881, the First National Convention of the American Federation of Labor passes a law calling on states to ban children under 14 from all gainful employment
- In 1904, the National Child Labor Committee was formed to try and change child labor forever
- In 1938, for the first time minimum ages of employment of children are regulated by federal law
Child Labor Laws are passed
Finally, Child Labor laws were inforced and taken seriously by the government