Child Labor Laws

Definition

Child labor laws are regulations that restrict the employment of minors, setting limits on the types of jobs, working hours, and conditions under which children can work. These laws aim to protect the health, safety, and well-being of children while balancing their educational and developmental needs.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The first federal child labor law, the Keating-Owen Act, was passed in 1916 but was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
2. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established federal minimum age and hour requirements for child workers, prohibiting the employment of children under the age of 14 in most industries.
3. Child labor laws were often opposed by businesses that relied on cheap child labor to remain competitive, leading to legal battles and political struggles.
4. Muckraking journalists, such as Lewis Hine, played a crucial role in exposing the harsh conditions and exploitation of child workers, which helped build public support for reform.
5. The passage of compulsory education laws in many states during the Progressive Era helped reduce child labor by requiring children to attend school until a certain age.

Review Questions

• Explain the key goals and provisions of the child labor laws that were passed during the Progressive Era.
  • The primary goals of child labor laws during the Progressive Era were to protect the health, safety, and well-being of children, as well as to ensure they had access to education and could not be exploited for cheap labor. The laws set limits on the types of jobs, working hours, and conditions under which children could be employed. For example, the Keating-Owen Act of 1916 prohibited the employment of children under the age of 14 in certain industries, while the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established federal minimum age and hour requirements for child workers.
• Describe the role of muckraking journalists and the public outcry they helped generate in driving the passage of child labor laws.
  • Muckraking journalists, such as Lewis Hine, played a crucial role in exposing the harsh conditions and exploitation of child workers during the Progressive Era. Through their investigative reporting and powerful photographic documentation, they brought the realities of child labor to the public's attention, generating widespread outrage and demand for reform. This public outcry and growing awareness of the issue was instrumental in building support for the passage of child labor laws, as lawmakers were pressured to address the problem and enact legislation to protect children from exploitation.
• Analyze how the passage of compulsory education laws in many states during the Progressive Era contributed to the reduction of child labor.
  • The passage of compulsory education laws in many states during the Progressive Era was a significant factor in reducing child labor. These laws required children to attend school until a certain age, typically 16, which effectively removed them from the workforce and prevented them from being exploited for cheap labor. By ensuring that children had access to education and were not able to work, the compulsory education laws helped address the root causes of child labor and reinforced the broader goals of the child labor laws. The combination of these two sets of laws worked to protect the rights and well-being of children, while also promoting their educational and developmental needs.

Related terms

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): A federal law that establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.

Compulsory Education Laws: Laws that require children to attend school for a certain number of years, typically until the age of 16, to ensure they receive a basic education and are not exploited through child labor.

Muckrakers: Journalists and writers who exposed the harsh realities of child labor and other social issues during the Progressive Era, helping to drive reforms and the passage of child labor laws.