The Industrial Revolution

The following text is from an interview with a child laborer, where he describes the cruel and harsh treatment that he endured in these times.

Question: When you were punished for falling behind in your work, did that make you try to finish as quickly as possible?

Answer: Yes. The fear of being beaten pushed us to work as hard as we could to keep up.

Question: After returning home at the end of the workday, did you feel extremely tired?

Answer: Yes, I was very exhausted.

Which of the following best summarizes the experience of child laborers during the Industrial Revolution?

Read the following passage and answer the question:

In the American colonies, a strong belief in hard work over idleness existed, and this expectation included children. During the early 1800s, child labor was a key part of the United States’ agricultural economy. Many children worked on family farms or as indentured servants for other households. Boys often began apprenticeships to learn trades between the ages of ten and fourteen. Employers favored child workers because they could be paid lower wages, were less likely to form labor unions, and their smaller size allowed them to perform tasks in factories or mines that were difficult for adults. Because they worked instead of attending school, many children remained trapped in a cycle of poverty that was hard to escape.

According to the source, what was an important value for American families?

• Read the source below and answer the question:

• The following is a List of Demand from a working class person to the Worker's Union

• - Uniting the working class through a strong and unified labor union.

• - Ensuring the working class is represented nationally by an advocate selected and funded by the Workers’ Union, making clear both the workers’ right to exist and society’s obligation to recognize them.

• - Acknowledging the right of all men and women to employment as a legitimate right.

• - Affirming the right of all boys and girls to receive moral, intellectual, and job-related education.

• - Exploring whether labor organizations can operate effectively under current social conditions.

• - Accepting equality between men and women as a fundamental principle and the only way to unite humanity.

• What was the purpose of The Workers’ Union?

Read the source below and answer the following question:

Organized workers argue that men, women, and children—who think and feel—deserve to be treated with more respect than lifeless machines. They call for shorter work hours and fair wages, which would help end many of the worst abuses of the industrial system that contribute to poverty and imprisonment. Labor organizations strongly support the right of workers to unite for their own protection. They believe that the lives and physical well-being of workers should be valued and protected, and that injuries caused by neglect or mistreatment should not go unpunished simply because the victim is a wage worker. Above all, trade unions demand wages that are fair and sufficient.

Which statement best summarizes the demands of labor unions?