Child Labor History Essay

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History of Child Labor in the United States Within months of the arrival of the early settlers on American soil, they were faced with the bitter cold of winter. These settlers were unprepared for winter. They were still in the process of building their houses, they had not gathered enough food to survive through the season, and they had no means of keeping warm during these dangerous months. Many of the early settlers died during these harsh cold months. With so many dead the use of child labor was necessary to survive for the colonist. In American history, this is often the case. In extreme times, when parents are unable to provide for their children on their own, the use of child labor is often …show more content…

For instance, a boy might end up tending to the field for an ill parent, or a young girl might be forced to take care for her younger siblings after her mother dies. Often, while this work was somewhat taxing for children, it was expected of them and it was considered a family responsibility for them to assist their parents in difficult situations. This was considered chores, and it was necessary for the survival of these families. However, this attitude that it was a child’s duty to assist their parents did contribute to the development of child labor. As Edith Abbott wrote, “The introduction of child labor into our early factories was a natural consequence of the colonial attitude toward child labor.” While child labor was necessary during these times, it paved way for a harsher form of child …show more content…

One of the reasons was people started complaining about all the jobs going to children. This is the main reason child labor laws were originally put into place. It was supposed to be a preventative measure to ensure jobs for adults. The jobs children were allowed to do were simpler and, therefore, safer. Not every adult had this point of view through. Many people advocated for child labor to stop for moral reasons. Charles Dickens wrote the book Oliver Twist in attempt to try to draw attention to the children who suffered due to factory work. This is because Charles Dickens was a child worker

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