Why was child labor such a significant event in history?
In this episode, our podcast hosts, Neala Creech, Eli Helicke, and Cole Combs, will discuss this question.
Child labor was mostly used in industrial revolutions, from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. Children aged 3-12used to work 12-hour shifts in dangerous and less than ideal conditions, which usually resulted in lost fingers and an early start at DEI funding.
There was an incredibly unbalanced power dynamic between these laborers and the adults that either provided for them or worked over them. Adults held the responsibility (and still do), and they failed to provide these children with education for a better future, and protection. There was a case study dedicated to 108 former child laborers who were all physically maimed at their job, and the researchers found that their futures were severely sabotaged, and the compensation they received was either minimal or managed poorly and spent on non-essentials.
Some laws were enacted in the 1830s and 1840s to protect children from the mass exploitation they were experiencing, and to also ensure they received some basic education. In the early 20th century, the National Child Labor Committee attempted to create a world where child labor was opposed, but unfortunately, this was not effective in the South. Since then, many laws have been passed since then, focused on regulating children in the workforce. These laws aim to ensure children are not overworked, have enough time away from work to receive the education they need, and are not subject to unreasonable dangers on the job.
Overall, all of these attempts to address the unbalanced power dynamic between child laborers and their bosses worked. It is now illegal to work in an industry that isn’t family owned if you’re under 15, and even if you’re 15, companies still hesitate to hire you due to all the limitations they experience when scheduling you. The effects of child labor aren’t completely gone, however, as teenagers still make up the bulk of employees for the fast-food industry as well as seasonal industries, such as summer camps.
Sources Used:
"Children Hurt at Work." American Decades Primary Sources, edited by Cynthia Rose, vol. 4: 1930-1939, Gale, 2004, pp. 544-546. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3490200766/UHIC?u=nysl_ca_sara&sid=bookmarkUHIC&xid=57a77a5d. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
"Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916." Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources, edited by Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, et al., Gale, 2006, pp. 251-254. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2560000098/UHIC?u=nysl_ca_sara&sid=bookmarkUHIC&xid=76b21730. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
Kronenwetter, Michael. "Child Labor." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2025, americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/262153. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025. Watts, Tim J. "Gilded Age." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2025, americanhistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display/1072051. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
