CHILD LABOUR: INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

During the Industrial Revolution, many children had to find new paying jobs due to the growing numbers of people. Children became the main source of cheap labour, and worked in factories because they were so young and would work long, hard hours for little pay. They would work in the harshest conditions for an average of ten to fourteens hours per day. Many children were severely injured and even died in factories because of the dangerous work. The speed of the machines would often catch a finger, arm, or leg. However, the work passed the machines was no better. Toxins that are released were inhaled and spread illness and disease. If a child was not working in the factories, hard work harvesting fields and crops was no treat. High temperatures and long hours with little breaks were expected from children as young as three years old. During this time period, families were poor and all members older than three had to work so that they could afford food. The high demand for jobs allowed factory owners and farmers to pay less than minimum wage for hard work. Because of this, children were not given the privilege to have an education which was going to affect them later in life.