Child Labor in Early 20th Century America

In the early 1900s, nearly 2 million children were part of the U.S. labor force, working in dangerous conditions. Progressive reformers, alarmed by this, formed organizations like the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) to advocate for children's welfare. Photographer Lois Wicks Hine documented the harsh realities faced by child laborers, raising national awareness. Despite state-level restrictions by 1929, national legislation faced opposition from business interests. It wasn't until 1938 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which restricted child labor and continues to protect workers today.

What percentage of America's labor force was made up of children in the early 1900s?

• 4%

• 6%

• 8%

• 10%

At what age did some children start working to contribute to their family income?

• 5 years old

• 3 years old

• 7 years old

• 9 years old

Which of the following types of work were children involved in during the early 1900s?

• All of the above

• Blueberry patches

• Cotton fields

• Textile mills

What was the age of children who controlled elevators for 12 hours a day?

• 14 or 15

• 12 or 13

• 10 or 11

• 8 or 9

Which organization hired Lewis Hine to photograph children at work?

• Labor Reform Association

• American Child Labor Committee

• National Child Labor Committee

• Children's Rights Organization

What was the primary goal of the National Child Labor Committee?

• To increase child wages

• To expose harsh working conditions

• To provide healthcare for child workers

• To promote child labor

By what year did every state have restrictions preventing children under 14 from working?

• 1919

• 1929

• 1939

• 1949

Which industries combined to fight against national child labor legislation?

• Textile and automotive

• Cotton and coal

• Agriculture and fishing

• Railroad and shipping

In what year did President Franklin D. Roosevelt sign the Fair Labor Standards Act?

• 1936

• 1937

• 1938

• 1939

What was one of the major reasons national legislation against child labor was delayed until 1938?

• Lack of public awareness

• Support from child laborers

• Opposition from southern cotton and Midwestern coal interests

• Insufficient government funding