Stages Of Life During The Industrial Revolution
During 19th century France, childhood and adolescence were distinctly separate stages of life because of the industrial revolution’s fragmentation of family trade. The period of the industrial revolution caused family trade to fade and jobs increase, which separated families and decisively split childhood from adolescence. Indeed, the decrease in family work required children to leave the home at an earlier age rather than later. Throughout the century, childhood simply diminished into a preparatory state for labor and future survival. Furthermore, children were expected to work at very early ages, and assist in providing for the family. An individual’s existence became divided into three stages of life: infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
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The typical structure of a child’s life during this period was infancy (reliance and dependence upon parents), childhood (reliance, although the child assists the family), and adolescence (self-sufficient survival). Infancy remained quite the same, except that the time was shortened for some children who had to begin helping the family out of necessity. Childhood and adolescence were changed, especially in the timeline of an average poor person’s life. Traditionally, the child would work with the family until he had acquired the trade and developed necessary skills. However, due to the circumstances the industrial era brought, many children would switch to this adolescent stage at extremely early ages. Norbert, for example, technically entered into his adolescence at an extremely early age (252). While Norbert was still but a child, he was expected to act as an adult, fend for himself, and make his living alone. This early entry into adolescence wasn’t shared throughout all classes. Agricol spent a long, happy childhood with his parents prior to his professional training (120). Childhood lasted longer for those who were better off. Also, Agricol’s family still worked a trade that was suitable for families to work in during the industrial revolution. While these three defining parts of life (infancy, childhood, and adolescence) existed clearly before the industrial revolution, they were shortened quite drastically for the lower classes. Infancy and childhood were shorter out of necessity, and adolescence often came more quickly than
The typical structure of a child’s life during this period was infancy (reliance and dependence upon parents), childhood (reliance, although the child assists the family), and adolescence (self-sufficient survival). Infancy remained quite the same, except that the time was shortened for some children who had to begin helping the family out of necessity. Childhood and adolescence were changed, especially in the timeline of an average poor person’s life. Traditionally, the child would work with the family until he had acquired the trade and developed necessary skills. However, due to the circumstances the industrial era brought, many children would switch to this adolescent stage at extremely early ages. Norbert, for example, technically entered into his adolescence at an extremely early age (252). While Norbert was still but a child, he was expected to act as an adult, fend for himself, and make his living alone. This early entry into adolescence wasn’t shared throughout all classes. Agricol spent a long, happy childhood with his parents prior to his professional training (120). Childhood lasted longer for those who were better off. Also, Agricol’s family still worked a trade that was suitable for families to work in during the industrial revolution. While these three defining parts of life (infancy, childhood, and adolescence) existed clearly before the industrial revolution, they were shortened quite drastically for the lower classes. Infancy and childhood were shorter out of necessity, and adolescence often came more quickly than