Children’s Rights Movement 8-12
Back in the late 19th century many people fought for children’s rights. Some of the leaders of this movement were Mother Jones, President Taft, and Jacob Riis. All of them used their determination to help out young adults and adolescents. I can understand why they would want to help them.
The children had to face many injustices. They had little to no health to no health benefits. Also they were paid a lot less than adult workers. And like I mentioned earlier they had very unsafe working environments. The working conditions for the children were terrible. The machines were very unsafe. If the children were injured on the job they were fired. This is why Mother Jones organized her revolt.
Mother, Mary Harris, Jones noticed that the kids had been facing the horrible conditions. She wanted to have a march on the White House and show the president what was happening. She and many, many children WALKED from Philadelphia to
Washington D.C. They were successful in bringing attention to the cause but President Calvin Coolidge did not acknowledge them. Many people after this decided to join the cause. . . like Jacob Riis.
Jacob Riis is a famous photographer that showed the nation the way children were being treated. Jacob went city to city taking photographs or children in the workplace. He showed horrible truths to the nation like working in horrible dark factories, accidents bound to happen, even kids walking around shoeless. These times were horrible for children.
After Mother Jones, Jacob Riis, and many other activists attempts, President Taft finally changed the child labor laws. Now every child in
America under the age of 14 cannot get a job. Those who are 14 must get a legal document called a working paper stating that they are 14 years of age or older, they can legally get a job, and that they cannot work over 40 hours a week.
Children’s rights were not recognized for a long time. The children went on with these jobs for many decades before someone stepped in. Thanks to mother jone kids like us don’t have to face the hardships of previous children. Now if only we can get someone to help stop homework.
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