Child Labor in the 19th Century

The video discusses the harsh realities of child labor in the past, where children from impoverished families worked in dangerous conditions to support their families. It highlights the various jobs children undertook, such as chimney sweeps and factory workers, and the associated risks. The video also covers legislative efforts to protect child workers, including the Chimney Sweepers Regulation Act and the Factory Act. Additionally, it touches on the life in workhouses and the establishment of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children by Thomas Agnew.

Why did children from poor families have to work?

• To learn new skills

• To help pay bills and buy food

• To avoid going to school

• To gain work experience

What was one of the jobs children did in the 19th century?

• Software development

• Street sweeping

• Teaching

• Medical practice

Why were children often employed for dangerous tasks?

• They had more experience

• They demanded higher wages

• They were smaller and could fit into tight spaces

• They were more skilled

What tragic event led to new laws for chimney sweeps?

• A factory explosion

• A 12-year-old boy dying while sweeping a chimney

• A mine collapse

• A fire in a textile mill

What did the Chimney Sweepers Regulation Act of 1840 aim to do?

• Provide education for chimney sweeps

• Regulate and supervise chimney sweeps for safety

• Ban child labor entirely

• Increase wages for chimney sweeps

What did the 1833 Factory Act make illegal?

• Children working as street sweepers

• Children working in mines

• Children working more than 10 hours a day

• Children under nine working in factories

How many hours a week could children aged 9 to 13 work according to the 1833 Factory Act?

• 60 hours

• 24 hours

• 36 hours

• 48 hours

What was a workhouse?

• A hospital for children

• A factory for making clothes

• A place where poor families lived and worked to earn their keep

• A place where children went to school

What happened to families in workhouses?

• They were given free food and shelter

• They were provided with jobs in offices

• They were split up and had to wear uniforms

• They were sent to different countries

Who set up the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1891?

• William Wilberforce

• Thomas Agnew

• Charles Dickens

• Queen Victoria