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Child Labor - Primary Document Analysis

This document appears to be a primary source analysis activity about child labor during the Progressive Era. Students are asked to examine photographs by Lewis Hine and anti-child labor posters from the National Child Labor Committee to understand the types of difficult jobs children had and conditions they worked in. Newspaper articles describe accidents in mines where underage workers were able to fool inspectors about their young ages. A chart shows differences in child labor and education laws across various US states during this time period, with some requiring school until higher grades while others placed no limits on child labor.

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345 views13 pages

Child Labor - Primary Document Analysis

This document appears to be a primary source analysis activity about child labor during the Progressive Era. Students are asked to examine photographs by Lewis Hine and anti-child labor posters from the National Child Labor Committee to understand the types of difficult jobs children had and conditions they worked in. Newspaper articles describe accidents in mines where underage workers were able to fool inspectors about their young ages. A chart shows differences in child labor and education laws across various US states during this time period, with some requiring school until higher grades while others placed no limits on child labor.

Uploaded by

api-274080339
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Mrs.

Dupuis
S.S. 221

Name: __________________________________
Date: ________________
Period: ____
Child Labor
Primary Document Analysis

Overview: Since the 2nd Industrial Revolution, more and more people were working long hours in difficult
conditions. With adult workers earning low ages, many children had to work full time to support their families.
Progressive reformers began to focus on these problems. Children did many jobs in the 1800s. In 1900 more than
1.75 million children age 15 and under worked in factories, mines, and mills, earning very low wages.
During the 1900s, reformers finally succeeded in getting some laws passed to ease the conditions of child laborers.
In any case, laws alone could not end child labor. Some parents ignored child labor laws so that their children
could continue contributing to the family income. Children were often instructed to lie about their age to
government inspectors and tell them they were older than they really were.
Directions: Use each group of documents to work with your group and answer the questions below.
Document Group A: Lewis Hine Photographs
1. Based on the photographs by famous photographer and progressive reformer, Lewis Hine, list four five
jobs that children did at the time.

2. Which job do you think would be most difficult? Why?

3. List two reasons why you think such young children were working.

4. List three words to describe your reaction to Lewis Hines photographs.

Document Group B: Anti Child Labor Signs created by National Child Labor Committee
1. The first poster lists some suggestions for ending child labor. List three from the poster:
a.
b.
c.
2. Look at the second poster:
a. _____ True or False: Twice as many industrial accidents occur to children as adults.
b. Employment of children is due to ________________, __________________, and
______________________ of industry and parents.

3. The third poster shows how work inside the home destroys family life. There are four reasons listed. Which
do you think is the most important and why?

Document Group C: Newspaper articles about child labor and Fooling the Mine Inspector
This article is about the death of Dennis McKee, a breaker boy in a coal mine. A breaker is a boy that would sit in a
step like manner and coal would come down in chutes underneath them. They would wear high boots and couldnt
wear gloves because they had to go into the coal by hand and pick out the slate and the rock from the coal as it
came roaring down under them. And they had bosses working behind them with whips. And there was so much
dust in the breaker that the kids would wear bandanas across their faces and theyd take them off and all you would
see was just the little whites of their eyes.
1. What happened to the two boys in the article? (bullet pt.) How old were they?

2. Why were underage mine workers so easily able to fool the inspector about their ages?

Document Group D: Different Child labor laws across the country during the progressive era
Some organizations tried to implement education laws so that children would be required to go to school instead of
work. Look at the chart about educational standards.
1. List the three states that had a 16 year min. age for work during school hours.
a.
b.
c.
2. List five states that had no grade requirement.
3. New Jersey had laws saying you had to go to school until grade _______.
4. Arkansas had laws that said you had to go school until grade ________.
Look at the chart about daily hours for children under 15 in factories and stores.
1. How long could children work in the following states?
a. New Jersey: _____________
b. California: ______________
c. South Dakota: ___________
d. Idaho: _________________
2. What does the triangle in Montana represent?

Document Group A: Lewis Hine Photographs

Document Group B: Anti Child Labor Signs created by National Child Labor Committee

Document Group C: Newspaper articles about child labor and Fooling the Mine Inspector

Document Group D: Different Child labor laws across the country during the progressive era

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