Let’s look at the inside of the factories to learn

more about the

Industrial Revolution.

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Child labor was especially common in the late 18th century, during the early years of the Industrial Revolution. At the time, industrial cities and towns grew dramatically due to the migration of farmers and their families who were looking for work in the newly developed factories and mines. The living conditions in the cities and towns were miserable and characterized by: overcrowding, poor sanitation, spread of diseases, and pollution. As well, workers were paid low wages that barely allowed them to afford the cost of living associated with their rent and food. As a result, many of these working-class families needed the extra income that their children earned while working.

Based on the document above, what are three characteristics of the time period?

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1. ______________________________________________________________

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2. ______________________________________________________________

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3. ______________________________________________________________

Child labor was especially common in the late 18th century, during the early years of the Industrial Revolution. At the time, industrial cities and towns grew dramatically due to the migration of farmers and their families who were looking for work in the newly developed factories and mines. The living conditions in the cities and towns were miserable and characterized by: overcrowding, poor sanitation, spread of diseases, and pollution. As well, workers were paid low wages that barely allowed them to afford the cost of living associated with their rent and food. As a result, many of these working-class families needed the extra income that their children earned while working.

Based on the document above, what are three characteristics of the time period?

​

1. ______________________________________________________________

​

​

2. ______________________________________________________________

​

​

3. ______________________________________________________________

Child labor was especially common in the late 18th century, during the early years of the Industrial Revolution. At the time, industrial cities and towns grew dramatically due to the migration of farmers and their families who were looking for work in the newly developed factories and mines. The living conditions in the cities and towns were miserable and characterized by: overcrowding, poor sanitation, spread of diseases, and pollution. As well, workers were paid low wages that barely allowed them to afford the cost of living associated with their rent and food. As a result, many of these working-class families needed the extra income that their children earned while working.

Child labor was especially common in the late 18th century, during the early years of the Industrial Revolution. At the time, industrial cities and towns grew dramatically due to the migration of farmers and their families who were looking for work in the newly developed factories and mines. The living conditions in the cities and towns were miserable and characterized by: overcrowding, poor sanitation, spread of diseases, and pollution. As well, workers were paid low wages that barely allowed them to afford the cost of living associated with their rent and food. As a result, many of these working-class families needed the extra income that their children earned while working.

Child labor was especially common in the late 18th century, during the early years of the Industrial Revolution. At the time, industrial cities and towns grew dramatically due to the migration of farmers and their families who were looking for work in the newly developed factories and mines. The living conditions in the cities and towns were miserable and characterized by: overcrowding, poor sanitation, spread of diseases, and pollution. As well, workers were paid low wages that barely allowed them to afford the cost of living associated with their rent and food. As a result, many of these working-class families needed the extra income that their children earned while working.

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

According to Mother Jones, what was one situation faced by children in the workplace in the late 1800s?

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

According to Mother Jones, what was one situation faced by children in the workplace in the late 1800s?

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

. . . Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to oil it. They replaced spindles all day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight-hour shift for ten cents a day. If they fell asleep, cold water was dashed in their faces, and the voice of the manager yelled above the ceaseless racket and whir of the machines. Toddling chaps of four years old were brought to the mills to “help” the older sister or brother of ten years but their labor was not paid. The machines, built in the north, were built low for the hands of little children. At five-thirty in the morning, long lines of little grey children came out of the early dawn into the factory, into the maddening noise, into the lint filled rooms. Outside the birds sang and the blue sky shone. At the lunch half-hour, the children would fall to sleep over their lunch of cornbread and fat pork. They would lie on the bare floor and sleep. Sleep was their recreation, their release, as play is to the free child. The boss would come along and shake them awake. After the lunch period, the hour-in grind, the ceaseless running up and down between the whirring spindles. Babies, tiny children! . . .

Source: Mother Jones, Autobiography of Mother Jones, Arno Press

. . . While states began to pass laws that worked, Mother Jones’s dream of a national child labor law remained just a dream. Even if the children [after their labor march in 1903] had managed to see President [Theodore] Roosevelt, it is doubtful that any federal laws would have been passed. In 1906, a federal child labor bill was defeated in Congress. Echoing Roosevelt, many of the bill’s opponents said they disliked child labor, but that they believed only states had the authority to make laws against it. In 1916, a bill was passed, but the Supreme Court ruled that the law was unconstitutional. The first successful national law was not passed until 1938, about 35 years after the march of the mill children. . . .

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According to Stephen Currie, what was one reason that ending child labor was difficult to achieve nationally?

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. . . While states began to pass laws that worked, Mother Jones’s dream of a national child labor law remained just a dream. Even if the children [after their labor march in 1903] had managed to see President [Theodore] Roosevelt, it is doubtful that any federal laws would have been passed. In 1906, a federal child labor bill was defeated in Congress. Echoing Roosevelt, many of the bill’s opponents said they disliked child labor, but that they believed only states had the authority to make laws against it. In 1916, a bill was passed, but the Supreme Court ruled that the law was unconstitutional. The first successful national law was not passed until 1938, about 35 years after the march of the mill children. . . .

According to Stephen Currie, what was one reason that ending child labor was difficult to achieve nationally?

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Protection for Children

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Announcer—Well, can’t you tell us something about this—I know we are all interested in the protection of children from oppressive labor in industrial plants and mines.

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Mr. Andrews—The child labor sections are specific. No producer, manufacturer or dealer may ship, or deliver for shipment in interstate commerce, any goods produced in an establishment which has employed oppressive child labor within thirty days of the removal of the goods. The thirty days will be counted after today, so this means that employers of children before today do not come under the act.

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Announcer—And oppressive child labor is—what?

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Mr. Andrews—Oppressive child labor is defined as, first, the employment of children under 16 in any occupation, except that children of 14 or 15 may do work which the Children’s Bureau has determined will not interfere with their schooling, health or well-being, but this work under the law must not be either manufacturing or mining employment.

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In addition oppressive child labor means the employment of children of 16 or 17 years in any occupation found by the Children’s Bureau to be particularly hazardous or detrimental to health or well-being.

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Of course, there are exceptions for child-actors and others, but in general those are the childlabor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is now the law of the land.

According to Elmer F. Andrews, what were two ways the Fair Labor Standards Act protected children?

Protection for Children

​

Announcer—Well, can’t you tell us something about this—I know we are all interested in the protection of children from oppressive labor in industrial plants and mines.

​

Mr. Andrews—The child labor sections are specific. No producer, manufacturer or dealer may ship, or deliver for shipment in interstate commerce, any goods produced in an establishment which has employed oppressive child labor within thirty days of the removal of the goods. The thirty days will be counted after today, so this means that employers of children before today do not come under the act.

​

Announcer—And oppressive child labor is—what?

​

Mr. Andrews—Oppressive child labor is defined as, first, the employment of children under 16 in any occupation, except that children of 14 or 15 may do work which the Children’s Bureau has determined will not interfere with their schooling, health or well-being, but this work under the law must not be either manufacturing or mining employment.

​

In addition oppressive child labor means the employment of children of 16 or 17 years in any occupation found by the Children’s Bureau to be particularly hazardous or detrimental to health or well-being.

​

Of course, there are exceptions for child-actors and others, but in general those are the childlabor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is now the law of the land.

According to Elmer F. Andrews, what were two ways the Fair Labor Standards Act protected children?

​

Protection for Children

​

Announcer—Well, can’t you tell us something about this—I know we are all interested in the protection of children from oppressive labor in industrial plants and mines.

​

Mr. Andrews—The child labor sections are specific. No producer, manufacturer or dealer may ship, or deliver for shipment in interstate commerce, any goods produced in an establishment which has employed oppressive child labor within thirty days of the removal of the goods. The thirty days will be counted after today, so this means that employers of children before today do not come under the act.

​

Announcer—And oppressive child labor is—what?

​

Mr. Andrews—Oppressive child labor is defined as, first, the employment of children under 16 in any occupation, except that children of 14 or 15 may do work which the Children’s Bureau has determined will not interfere with their schooling, health or well-being, but this work under the law must not be either manufacturing or mining employment.

​

In addition oppressive child labor means the employment of children of 16 or 17 years in any occupation found by the Children’s Bureau to be particularly hazardous or detrimental to health or well-being.

​

Of course, there are exceptions for child-actors and others, but in general those are the childlabor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is now the law of the land.

Protection for Children

​

Announcer—Well, can’t you tell us something about this—I know we are all interested in the protection of children from oppressive labor in industrial plants and mines.

​

Mr. Andrews—The child labor sections are specific. No producer, manufacturer or dealer may ship, or deliver for shipment in interstate commerce, any goods produced in an establishment which has employed oppressive child labor within thirty days of the removal of the goods. The thirty days will be counted after today, so this means that employers of children before today do not come under the act.

​

Announcer—And oppressive child labor is—what?

​

Mr. Andrews—Oppressive child labor is defined as, first, the employment of children under 16 in any occupation, except that children of 14 or 15 may do work which the Children’s Bureau has determined will not interfere with their schooling, health or well-being, but this work under the law must not be either manufacturing or mining employment.

​

In addition oppressive child labor means the employment of children of 16 or 17 years in any occupation found by the Children’s Bureau to be particularly hazardous or detrimental to health or well-being.

​

Of course, there are exceptions for child-actors and others, but in general those are the childlabor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is now the law of the land.

Which of the following is true of the Industrial era?

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1. Only those who were in a labor union could

work.

2. Children were utilized for many jobs due to their

size.

3. Women held most of the industrial jobs.

4. This was the same time period as the

Revolutionary War.

2. What is true of the Fair Labor Standards Act?

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1. It only applied to those children under the age of 5.

2. It exempted child actors.

3. It said that only male children could work in the

factories.

4. It said that children aged 5-15 must be paid a

minimum wage of $12.00 an hour.

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3. Barefoot children working in factories for 10-12

hours a day for pennies per day best describes which

era in American History?

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1. Colonial Era

2. Vietnam Era

3. Industrial Era

4. World War II Era

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1. The slogan “no taxation without representation” was

first used by Americans to protest Britain’s

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(1) policy of salutary neglect

(2) issuance of the Proclamation of 1763

(3) passage of the Coercive Acts

(4) attempts to raise revenue through the Stamp Act

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2. A central issue in the debate between Federalists and Antifederalists over the ratification of the US Constitution was the

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(1) power of judicial review being granted to the judicial

branch

(2) threat posed by a strong central government to the rights

of citizens

(3) role of the president as commander in chief of the armed

forces

(4) danger of unrestricted interstate commerce

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3. During the 1790s, which factor best explains why the United States was able to stay out of foreign conflicts?

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(1) Europe depended on farm products from the US.

(2) The United States had announced the Monroe Doctrine.

(3) France and Great Britain agreed to end colonialism.

(4) The Atlantic Ocean helped the United States remain

isolated from foreign threats.

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4. Which statement describes an effect of the Louisiana

Purchase (1803)?

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(1) The size of the United States was doubled.

(2) The boundary with Mexico was finally established.

(3) The Northwest Territory became part of the United States.

(4) The Mississippi River became the western boundary of the

United States.

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