Child Labor in the Cotton Mill by Joseph Vera
Cotton mills were one of the first places to utilize child labor during the Industrial Revolution. The first jobs for children were in water powered cotton mills near the river. With the invention of the cotton spinning jenny and the steam engine, cotton could be spun much faster and cotton mills could be moved into the cities. Children worked for the delight of the cotton mill owners, there was a cheap alternative to paying children with actual money.
Because of the dangerous ways of city life such as endless smoke from coal powered factories, poor hygiene, and horrible working conditions, many children were left without parents. Orphans, or Parish apprentice children, were taken in by factories and mills to work in exchange for food, water, housing, and clothing. The supplies given to Parish apprentice children were very limited and left many children malnourished. The children living in cotton mills also had another problem to deal with.
Working conditions for children were worse than they were for adults. In cotton mills, children had to work day and night. They were exposed to the dangerous moving parts of the machinery and had to work in very warm atmospheres to spin the cotton. Children were also given discipline and harsh punishments. Because of the horrible conditions that child laborers had to work in, laws were later passed which would give workers more rights and ban children from working in factories and mills.
Because of the dangerous ways of city life such as endless smoke from coal powered factories, poor hygiene, and horrible working conditions, many children were left without parents. Orphans, or Parish apprentice children, were taken in by factories and mills to work in exchange for food, water, housing, and clothing. The supplies given to Parish apprentice children were very limited and left many children malnourished. The children living in cotton mills also had another problem to deal with.
Working conditions for children were worse than they were for adults. In cotton mills, children had to work day and night. They were exposed to the dangerous moving parts of the machinery and had to work in very warm atmospheres to spin the cotton. Children were also given discipline and harsh punishments. Because of the horrible conditions that child laborers had to work in, laws were later passed which would give workers more rights and ban children from working in factories and mills.
Fictional Child Laborer Story
https://docs.google.com/a/amcanhs.nvusd.k12.ca.us/document/d/11S4qVx3LriReYx7wWqBbYoMdRLB4zWkIe-72b5j_VRU/edit
Citation
"Child Labor During the English Industrial Revolution" http://wathatcher.iweb.bsu.edu. Wade Thatcher, 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
"Child Labor, The impact of the Industrial Revolution" www.skwirk.com.au. Red Apple Education, 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
"Child Labor during the British Industrial Revolution" eh.net. n.a., 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.
"Child Labor, The impact of the Industrial Revolution" www.skwirk.com.au. Red Apple Education, 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
"Child Labor during the British Industrial Revolution" eh.net. n.a., 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.
