Child+Labor

At the end of the Civil War; coal, oil, and steel production increased which resulted in cities expanding. As the cities expanded, factories needed more workers to increase production. Although the factories were prospering well, the workers worked long, exhausting hours with only little pay. With barely enough money to feed their families, women were forced to find jobs in attempt to supply enough money for food and rent. Not even that was enough, and soon children begin working in factories along side with men and women. Children, as young as six, were forced to work in harsh conditions for as long as sixteen or more hours a day in strict, asperous factories. Sometimes factory owners were able to get away with not paying them at all for their work. Working with large and dangerous equipment; these children were forced to come into work, no matter how sick they were, only to leave at the end of the day with barely enough pay to supply them with proper clothing. If any of the children were late, even by a few minutes, they were punished with cruel and humiliating tactics or a sum deducted from their pay. Children were not cared for, and normally verbally, if not physically, abused. If they ever tried to sit down and take a break, they were whipped and beaten. The machines caused dust and fumes to spread around in the air, basically suffocating them. Because of the harsh, unsanitary working space, very It was very easy for these poor workers to fall ill. Some even died from diseases or terrible injuries from accidents that happened almost every day. Factory owners absolutely loved children working in their, and were completely against the labor laws were put in place during 1833. Photograph. //Boy cleaning shoes//. Web. [].
 * Child Labor**

//Dust//. Photograph. //History Place//. Web. [].

Roberts, Randy. //United States History.// Boston; Pearson Education, 2008. Print

Roberts. Randy. //United States History//. Boston; Pearson Education, 2008. Print [] http:nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/Baker00/2002p7/akp7.childlabor.html