Did you know that power come in numbers? Well in 1903 many children were working in factories for about 60 hours a week with missing limbs and body parts. People like mother Jones helped to prevent this from happening any more by gathering 7,000 children and marching from Philadelphia to New York protesting about the work week. Other people such as Jacob Riis, President Woodrow Wilson, President Franklin Roosevelt, and Lewis Hine all wanted to end or at least protect these children in these dangerous jobs. From all of this protesting it changed the law in 1938 when Congress passed the Fair Standard Labor Act to protect children entitling them for an education until the age of 16.
In 1889 children would work on the streets selling newspaper that they bought from companies in order to make money. Newspaper cost 50 cents for 100 papers. Later on the company raised the price to 60 cents for 100 papers. From this out rage many children had went on strike and for there were no paper being sold on the street. This was an economic injustice because it wasn’t reasonable price for newspaper and the newsie’s can barely make a living with the money that is gained. Leaders such as Kid Blink encouraged other children to keep going on strike until they meet out demands. After striking for about two weeks the newspaper companies finally meet their demands and change the prices of newspapers.
During 1924, many child advocates were furiously angry that the Supreme Court states “that only states can regulate and pass child labor laws”. From all of this Congress hires Lewis Hine to travel throughout the U.S. and expose factory abuse and how these children are really treated. From there on Lewis Hine interviews families about the factories, takes pictures of child labor abuse, and the working conditions these children go through. All of Lewis Hine’s work was used to expose the truth about factories abuse and how they disobey Child Labor laws. Congress makes an amendment to the Constitution and to take away power form the Supreme Court and State Government. About 6 years later on 5 states accept and it didn’t really accomplish much and the law wasn’t a success.
“Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are” by Bertolt Brecht. This famous quote marks the day when after about 60 years of hard child labor finally comes to an end once and for all. In 1938 Congress had passes the Fair Labor Standards act that gives children the right to have an education up to the age of 16 when they are allowed to work for no more than 8 hours a day and to be 18 to work in dangerous places such as coal mines. Even though this angered the factory owners Supreme Court did not go against and accepted the law abolishing child labor once and for all.
In my own opinion this movement was really important and it should be one of the things that we should remember in history. If we didn’t have these laws I wouldn’t be here typing this paper and getting a quality education that I deserve. I thank these children and the advocates who stand up for them because without them I wouldn’t be a senior here at PPCMS. They made it possible that I don’t have to work 60 hours a week or in fact work at all for now the Fair Labor Standards Act protects me and give me the right to have an education and not work until the age of 16 if I choose to work. This movement really helped me to understand and learned my right that will protect me against child labor and that I won’t have to break my back working in front of a machine but work on the paper that is on my desk.