WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE 1800S

Many workers worked in a sweatshop. This was a small factory or other establishment where employees were made to work very hard in poor conditions for low wages

Many immigrants took low paying factory jobs. Any labor laws that did exist did not apply to

them.

Most factory workers lived in crowded tenements owned by their employer.

Tenements were run-down and often overcrowded apartment houses,

especially in a poor section of a large city.

CHILD LABORPHOTOS BY LEWIS HINE

Many newsies stayed out after midnight selling papers.

They had to buy the newspapers with their own money and had to “eat” what they didn’t

sell.

Sometimes they would “improve the truth” if there weren’t any good headlines.

Where else do you think children worked?

Why was child labor used?

Business owners said that children could do certain work better than adults.

It was cheaper to hire children; children were paid less than adults

Many believed that working was good for children. Work kept them from idleness and mischief.

Children were not required to attend schools.

People thought it was a good way to help the poor families.

LAWS?

Some state laws were passed but they were ignored.

National laws were stopped by the Supreme Court stating that they were unconstitutional.

An attempt to make an amendment to the Constitution failed.

Lewis Hine

From 1908 to 1912, photographer Hine documented numerous gross violations of laws protecting young children. At many of the locations he visited, youngsters were quickly rushed out of his sight. He was also told youngsters in the mill or factory had just stopped by for a visit or were helping their mothers.

Activity Instructions:

Working with your assigned partner, view the photos by Lewis Hine and read the captions.

Examine the photos for the conditions in each of the places children worked.

Together, fill out the graphic organizer as you go.

REFORM!

Attempts at child labor reform continued, aided by the widespread publicity from Hine's photographs. As a result, many states passed stricter laws banning the employment of underage children. In 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, better known as the Federal Wage and Hour Law. The Act was declared constitutional in 1941 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Fair Labor Standards Act

set a work week of 40 hours minimum wage of 40 cents per hour prohibited child labor under age 16 while

allowing minors 16 and over to work in non-hazardous occupations.

set 18 as the minimum age for work in industries classified as hazardous.

Children aged 14 and 15 could be employed in non-manufacturing, non-mining, and non-hazardous occupations outside of school hours and during vacations for limited hours.