Many children suffered injuries during their childhood because they had to work long hours and work for low wages. During the 1870’s was when children started to work.  Many children were fighting for their rights and mostly all adults were at their side. So they went to strike and formed chains; as much as 23,000 workers went on strike during 1912. During the 1914 many children and parents were upset because only states could stop child labor, not Congress. This was also when the Children’s Rights Movement brought about an act called the Keating Owen Act. This act was brought up in 1916 to prevent child labor. The Great Depression was a time when many children and adults lost their jobs, and they didn’t have money to take care of themselves. So many children died of pneumonia and tuberculosis. Even though children had hard times, the movement was successful because they achieved their goals.

            During 1903, a new leader came up her name was Mother Jones. She was called mother Jones because she protected working children. Mother Jones led 200 children on a march called the “Children’s Crusade,” from Philadelphia to New York. They carried signs that said, “We want to go to school”. Mother Jones wanted President Theodore Roosevelt to meet the children, but he refused to see them. Mother Jones just wanted children to go back to school and get a good education.

            Children who were between the ages of ten and sixteen could work. This took place during 1924. Child advocates were upset that the Supreme Court said only states could stop child labor. The children knew that The Supreme Court didn’t do a good job investing how they were being treated. This was the year Congress formed the National Child Labor Committee which hires Lewis Hine. He was a man that spent six years traveling across America; he was taking pictures and interviewing the working children and their parents. This was successful because Lewis Hine’s photographs would help the children to strike back against Child Labor.

            This time during 1933 is when The Great Depression came about. Many people lost their jobs. Many died of deadly diseases, especially young children. When this catastrophe happened President Roosevelt took place in this and passed The National Recovery Administration. Children under 16 can no longer work full time. The Supreme Court disagrees with this law. They say the law goes against the U.S. Constitution. The President does not have the power to stop child labor. After years The Fair Labor Standards Act was pasted. It establishes a minimum wage for workers. This law angered factory owners. They try to get the Supreme Court to overturn it. But this time, the Supreme Court agrees to ban child labor. This was very successful because it helped workers by setting minimum wages and maximum weekly hours. So now work was easily done, by getting good pay.

            This is a question for you. Do you think if it wasn’t for people like Mother Jones, Lewis Hine, President Roosevelt, and all the children that went to strike, and I would be here writing this essay. Well my answer is, if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here right now writing this essay. Well I’ll tell you why because Mother Jones spent so much of her life to protect children’s rights. She walked on a 22-day march from Philadelphia to New York, just for the President so see 200 children. Many children like boy Blink, had a strike until boys like him get better pay. So I respect all the people who sacrificed their lives to save others. So thank you. I am glad The Supreme Court agreed to end child labor, and that children can gain a good education.