Child Labor Dbq
Part A
In 1820, the Industrial Revolution had started. The Industrial Revolution helped America grow (especially the north), along with changing its society and its economy because they could now use machines to make tools instead of making them by hand. However, with this came many issues, including child labor and horrible working conditions for factory workers. Child labor had many effects on children that did not benefit them. Children would work for an excessive amount of hours a day, usually 12 to 16 hours a day- as many as 70 hours a week. Child labor was an important part of the success of the industrial revolution. Since children would work for the majority of their day in the factories they did not receive an education. Children
would have no protective clothing on, which made it extremely easy to get seriously hurt. Seeing that children did not receive an education they were bound to have a future of illiteracy, poverty, and they continued the misery of being in a factory. Many of the children working in factories were severely underweight and from this, they developed diseases like tuberculosis and bronchitis. These health problems caused many children to become unfocused and make mistakes while working in the factory, which caused them to get very badly hurt or in extreme cases the children would be caught in the machine and killed. Along with child labor, factories had severely bad working conditions. These working conditions did not only affect children but older factory workers as well. Many people who worked in factories would talk about poor ventilation, excessive hours of work, crowded spaces and having to constantly be on their feet. People’s fresh air would be cut off (from no ventilation) and they would be stuck breathing in lint and dust. Factory workers could develop diseases from working in this condition for 12 to 16 hours every day. Many workers would end the day covered with dirt and dust that could cause skin irritation. The majority of the factories that were older had low ceilings, little to no ventilation, dark working areas, and damp interiors. Many factory workers died because of the bad working conditions. Child labor and factory conditions from the Industrial Revolution caused the United States to create stricter labor laws.
In 1820, the Industrial Revolution had started. The Industrial Revolution helped America grow (especially the north), along with changing its society and its economy because they could now use machines to make tools instead of making them by hand. However, with this came many issues, including child labor and horrible working conditions for factory workers. Child labor had many effects on children that did not benefit them. Children would work for an excessive amount of hours a day, usually 12 to 16 hours a day- as many as 70 hours a week. Child labor was an important part of the success of the industrial revolution. Since children would work for the majority of their day in the factories they did not receive an education. Children
would have no protective clothing on, which made it extremely easy to get seriously hurt. Seeing that children did not receive an education they were bound to have a future of illiteracy, poverty, and they continued the misery of being in a factory. Many of the children working in factories were severely underweight and from this, they developed diseases like tuberculosis and bronchitis. These health problems caused many children to become unfocused and make mistakes while working in the factory, which caused them to get very badly hurt or in extreme cases the children would be caught in the machine and killed. Along with child labor, factories had severely bad working conditions. These working conditions did not only affect children but older factory workers as well. Many people who worked in factories would talk about poor ventilation, excessive hours of work, crowded spaces and having to constantly be on their feet. People’s fresh air would be cut off (from no ventilation) and they would be stuck breathing in lint and dust. Factory workers could develop diseases from working in this condition for 12 to 16 hours every day. Many workers would end the day covered with dirt and dust that could cause skin irritation. The majority of the factories that were older had low ceilings, little to no ventilation, dark working areas, and damp interiors. Many factory workers died because of the bad working conditions. Child labor and factory conditions from the Industrial Revolution caused the United States to create stricter labor laws.