Miss Johnson
American Literature
14 May 2014
Child Labor
Children today should be very grateful. They have school, sleep, and parents that give them almost next to no chores. Children in the 1800s and early 1900s worked in factories sometimes as young as 4. They received very little pay, as having children work in the factories was easier for the factory owner, for they did not have to pay as much and children were easier to manage. Many children were hurt in many ways from working in the factories, losing sleep and school. Even through these awful times, people were still fighting against it.
Humans, as of nature, want to make things easier and more profitable for him and him only. Employed children in factories and farms made owners more profitable. Children were not paid the normal and fair price for their work, thus giving the bosses more money, since they could keep the money not given to the little workers. Children usually work 12 to 18 hours a day, six days a week, getting in the maximum about $1.50, if the owner was feeling generous, which was very rare.
Many children rioting wouldn’t even make a dent. What did a bunch of three to ten year olds know about anything, especially about their jobs and salary? Children wouldn’t strike, and even if they did, it wouldn’t make any difference. They might get fired or mistreated, something no child could go through. Having children work in the factory made them much less likely to strike.
Children are sometimes easier to control than adults. This is the case especially if you control the money their getting, their resting time, and their jobs. Factory owners could tell a child to do something, and the child would, for the child receives money for what he does and doesn’t understand any better. The authority could tell a child to do something life-threatening and the child, not knowing any better, would do it. Children were simply easier to control and boss around.
Working in the factory hurt