Child Labor: Past and Present
Although forms of child labor are still in affect today, the worst of it is in the past. Commonly defined as work performed by children endangering their health or safety, interfering with their education, or keeping them from activities that are important for their development, child labor began centuries ago. It started with the rise of industrial production and capitalism in the United States (Shahrokhi). The worst took place in the 1800's and early 1900's when such industrialization was on the rise, and before laws were in effect. However, child labor in all forms has not been fully removed from society today.The most common places that children were put to work were textile factories, coal mills, farms, and other various factories. The reason that children were put to work in these environments is primarily due to machines. They were responsible for keeping the machines running smoothly, even if it put them in danger. In textile mills the youngest were known as "scavengers" and "piecers" (Child Labor). The scavengers would pick up the loose cotton from underneath the machinery, while it was still in motion. The piecers were stationed where wool was spinning. They had to reach in to fix any
Hine's work appeared in newspapers, magazines, and NCLC publications throughout the country, causing a wide response and support for the cause by the American public (Innocence 108). That is less then one person for every two states. With agriculture being the second most hazardous industry, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration spent less than three percent of its inspections on it, and the penalty for violations in 1998 was only $971 (Child Farmworkers). Laws and regulations have helped tremendously. The dust and cotton fibers floating in the air caused many illnesses (Child Labor). However, in other occupations children cannot start before fourteen years of age, at fourteen and fifteen years children can only work for three hours on school days, a maximum of forty hours a week when not in school, not before seven in the morning, and engaging in hazardous labor is illegal until the age of eighteen ("Child Farmworkers"). If working in agriculture children can work at the age of twelve, can work unlimited hours outside of school, and are able to perform hazardous labor activities at sixteen ("Child Farmworkers"). As said before, agriculture is a very hazardous industry, but the most common for involving child labor. Children are being employed in agricultural fields and factories all over America, and some United States companies are putting them to work in sweatshops across the world where governments have a difficult time protecting the children. Disturbingly enough, most of the companies only take action when it is brought to their attention by a reporter or investigator. Without laws for attending school like the United States, children are working in agriculture before even going to school. Factory owners rarely allowed him to come in so he would disguise himself as various other professionals who would need photographs for their line of work. With the help from people like Lewis Hine, children are back to going to school, playing, and bettering themselves for their own future. However, he discovered 59,600 of them were under the age of fourteen, and 13,100 worked in sweatshops (Foster).
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Acceptance Essays
