Introduction
Child labor has always been a significant and challenging curse in America. During 1800 to 1900, in USA, one can see the dreadful growth of child labor. Children, less than six years have been working in coal mines, factories, as seafood workers, in steel industries and in textile mills. “Labor participation of children peaked in 1900 when one every four children was reported to be engaged in some “gainful occupation.” (Puerta). A large number of children have been working in unhealthy circumstances. They were the victims of modernization, industrialization and the American Civil War also had affected them too much. Most of the factory owners of 18th and 19th century America never considered them as the wealth of their nation and treated them as cruelly as they can.
History
The availability of row materials, new inventions and geographical explorations increased child labour in America in between 1800 and 1900. Many children were drawn in to the labour force during this period and a large number of children under the age of 15 had been worked in industrial fields to support their families. The words of Lewis Hine make it clear when he says: “Entire families were hired, the men for heavy labor and the women and children for lighter work. Work days typically ran from dawn to sunset, with longer hours in winter, resulting in a 68-72 hour workweek. Many families also lived in company owned houses in company owned villages and were often paid with overpriced goods from the company store. Thus they lived a life entirely dominated by their employers.” (Child Labor in America 1908-1912: Photographs of Lewis W Hine).
The above quotation throws light on the poorest state of the American village people. The employers had complete control over their workers and it often lead to financial and physical exploitation. The ability of the children to handle small parts and tools also attracted the employers and they exploited this ability in their business well. Immigrants from various countries, such as Africa, and many rural migrants worked in industrial fields, included their children in their work.
The skilled workers of that time wanted his child to follow his way. They wished to make them as their assistants. The other reason is that the lower class workers had lost their sentiments of parenthood and motherhood because of their hard work. The poorest state of the families is another reason for child labor. The children of the poor families were forced to find out the livelihood for their families and were deprived of education, his sweet adolescence and other necessities of the world. The continuous work, physical and mental torture led them to some bad practices.
The child workers of industrial revolution had to face severe torture from the industrial owners and were forced to work in insecure and dangerous circumstances. The owners forced them to work like machines without rest and even the provisions were denied to them. They were not allowed to protest and sometimes these owners implemented some cruel punishments, such as hanging heavy weights to worker’s neck and walk up and down the factory to see the other children and “learn lessons” from it. It often would cause many injuries on the back of their neck. Sometimes they would be dragged naked to the factories, if they had reached the factory late. Above all they forced the children to work continuously for hours for little or no pay. 12-14 hours work was common at that time and sometimes it would extent to approximately 19 hours a day with only one hour rest. The industrial owners sometimes appointed the child laborers as assistants in handling heavy and dangerous equipments that would often take away the lives of these children. If the children were orphans, they would be treated as slaves. In the case of these orphans, the authority had enough justifications and they claimed that they provide food shelter and clothing etc. During 1800s the children in huge factories were treated more cruel and unusual. The protection of children absolutely neglected. Severe punishments and scolding were very common in these work places.
But the factory law of the 1833 was to an extent helpful in controlling these injustices.
Though there have been appeared many laws to control the number of children from entering child labor, their number is growing day by day. “The statistics from the number of children working in industrial jobs from 1890 to 1910 is monumental. Children working for industrial wages, under the age of 15, went from 1.5 million to 2 million in twenty years.” (Geiger). This statistics points to the fearful future of our children who are forced to lead a pathetic life even in the 21st century. The mushrooming of industries was in need of many workers and they aimed at maximum profit. If they want to achieve such a gain, they have to appoint workers with a cheap salary. They find a fertile in children who can be paid with a meagre salary and sometimes nothing to be paid off. Moreover they shall work as slaves and their fear of cruel punishment will prevent them from protesting.
The Americans called the child laborers of the 1900s as “child slavery” because the children did not have the opportunity for a proper education and were treated as mere slaves. This child labor ultimately leads the child laborers to poverty, illiteracy and continuing misery. Above all, the working in mines caused many serious health problems in these children. The vibration and sounds of the machines, excessive heat and cold, high humidity levels, untidy working atmosphere etc caused to lose their youthful vigor permanently.
During the time of Industrial revolution, a large number of families moved to the populated cities so that their work condition became worst. As a result of hard work and unhealthy situations they reward diseases and injury. Children are an asset to the employees because of their nominal wages. The child workers suffered from many health problems like bronchitis, tuberculosis due to poor ventilation and the problem of nutrition. Not only these physical drawback nesses but also they faced loneliness and become gloomy. If they overcome, they may be crippled, confused before they reach their maturity.
Conclusion
Child labor is a real curse to manhood as children are the wealth of a civilized nation. Most nations of the world have implemented different laws to control child labor and rehabilitate the child laborers. They have also passed laws supporting their education, and cultural wellbeing. Children should be saved and protected from all harm otherwise we cannot dream of a bright future. But it thought provoking that “59,600 of the workers in the U.S. are under 14 and many other countries have huge child labor troubles. Child labor came from the Industrial Revolution and is still around to day.” (Child Labor in Factories).
It makes clear that even now, in most of the developed countries exist child labor and America itself is not an exception. The modern world itself is motivated to money and it does not give any consideration to humanity. But it always forgets that next generation is the wealth of the world.
Works Cited
Child Labor in America 1908-1912: Photographs of Lewis W Hine. The History Place. 1998. 2008. Web.
Child Labor in Factories. 2002. 2008. Web.
Geiger, Annie. The History of Child Slave Labor in Coal Mines from The Early 1800s. 2005. Web.
Puerta, Juan Manuel. Child Labor Laws and the End of Child Labor in the U.S.: Evidence from American Manufacturing Censuses (1900-1920). 2007.