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Child Labor In The 1800s

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“ Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country,the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people.” (Nelson Mandela). Before there were child labor laws, children often suffered many hardships. What is child labor? What did children face? What has America done about child labor? What will America do?

According to Merriam Webster, child labor is, “the employment of a child in a business or industry especially in violation of state or federal statutes prohibiting the employment of children under a specified age” (merriam-webster.com). Child labor began in the late 1700s and in the early 1800s. During this time, the industrial revolution brought difficulties to the people. Children were hired in factories, coal mines and many other unsafe places. Children were hired because they could pay them less, worked hard, and could do jobs adults couldn’t. Some Americans were in poverty causing their children to work otherwise they wouldn't survive.

What did children face before there were child labor laws? Many jobs that children attended to were too hard for them and were given unfair pay or just no pay at all. They had to work in unsafe working conditions. Children had …show more content…

The U.S. Congress passed two laws in 1918 and 1922. The supreme court declared both of them unconstitutional. In 1924 the congress proposed a constitutional amendment prohibiting child labor, but the states did not approve it. Many Americans were against child labor and accomplished many things to stop it. Then, in 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act; one of the laws. The Fair Labor Standards Act set the minimum working wage to seven dollars and twenty five cents. It also set the minimum working age to 14 hours outside of school hours and 16 during school

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