Child labor reform during the Progressive Era

Around the world and in the U.S., growing gaps between rich and poor in recent decades have forced millions of young children out of school and into work. The International Labor Organization estimates that 246 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 currently work under conditions that are considered illegal, hazardous, or extremely exploitative. Most child labor happens in Asia with 60%, 23% in Africa and 8% in South America, and nearly 70% of child labor occurs in agriculture.

Child labor has been a growing problem all over the world; in many countries with higher standards of living have done something to fix the problem of extorting children for labor. In the late 1800’s and 1900’s during the progressive era child labor was one of the main things the progressives wanted to change.

Growing concerns for the poor gave way to the growing interest of the working class. This led to one the most persistent causes of the progressive era child reform. In 1890 a census revealed that one million children between the ages of 10 and 15 worked, by 1910 that number had doubled to two million. The conditions in which these children were less than ideal, physical ailments were common. Industrialization didn’t create child labor but it did cause the need for the child labor reform. The replacement of skilled artisans with machines and the growing of textile mills and factories made child labor easy and profitable for business owners. Many business owners hired children because they are easy to train, willing to work for a lower wage most adults won’t work for, and because the children are not as likely to strike.

In 1904 the National Child Labor Committee was formed by socially concerned citizens and politicians, and was charted by Congress in 1907 throughout the years the NCLC has passed laws to help protect the well being of children. They have passed laws that make states have minimum age requirements and a minimum wage for minor workers. These laws were met with strong opposition from parents with children working because most families were so poor that everyone in the family worked and losing the income of one person could be detrimental to the families well being. Mill owners and even workers weren’t accepting of reformers they believed that working at a young age taught the children discipline. Another law passed was the law stating that all children had to attend school during their elementary years. This law was upheld by attendance officers who kept the children in school and out of work.

With all these laws in place the number of child labor has considerably dropped. But in other countries still today there are children working in mines, mills, warehouses and in agricultural environments. The NCLC is trying to pass laws so theses children in other countries can have the same rights as children in America. But some believe that these laws can be inadvertently harmful to the children, because if a child looses their job at a textile plant because of the law they will have to look for a job that may be more harmful to them.

Through all of these hardships the main thing we can learn from this is that even child labor is effective it is wrong and causes many problems in the rights of the children. Because working at that young of an age is dangerous for the children. That’s why there are minimum age requirements to work.

Department Speech

In the department of justice it is our job to keep America safe. One of our main priorities for us is to do whatever we can to stop terrorism. And a way we plan on doing that is by keeping all security in transportation areas tight, along with communicating to other countries to see if they will make theirs tighter also. Because we can keep our security as tough as we would like, but if other countries we travel to do not, then we are still putting our self as risks. Also if you have been known to have ties to terrorist then it will make it easier to obtain phone records and tap phone lines. We will also check shipments that come into the U.S. more thoroughly. We will also increase communication and corporation between FBI CIA and Homeland Security because we will get more information on terrorist movements inside and outside the country.

Another thing that we would like to improve on is domestic violence. For those that don’t completely know what this is, here are a few examples; physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This has become an over welling problem, starting in our high schools and on. For example, approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/ or sexually abused by a dating partner. While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes overall, women are five to eight times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner. With the numbers of one-third of American women reporting these acts, we need to do something more. So we are imposing that we have tighter laws, and longer jail time. But while serving that jail time, the abusers will have to go through programs, such as seeing a counselor and getting psychological help to figure out why the abuser acts this way. He/she will have to prove to a bored and there counselor(s) that they will not act this way any longer. But if there is a second offense the person will not ever get the chance to prove themselves once again. But will still go through the programs of counseling to help the individual. But for the individual that has been abused we will make sure they get the right help also. We will help set up counseling for this person and even go as far as getting a restraining order and helping them get to a shelter if needed.



But all in all we plan on keeping America safer by having heightened alert systems with tougher laws and more punishment.

President Election

Hi, I am John Tyler; I was born on March 29, 1790 in Charles City County Virginia. I was the first Vice President to be elevated to the office of President by the death of William Henry Harrison, making me your 10th president. But before I accomplished this I attended the college of William and Mary where I studied law under my father. I also served in the House of Representatives as a Democratic-Republican from 1816 to 1821, after leaving the house I also served as Governor of Virginia. Then in 1840 I became part of the newly-organized Whig Part with an offer to be that party's vice-presidential nominee. I quickly found myself at odds with my former political supporters. I had been expected to adhere closely to Whig Party policies and to work closely with Whig leaders, particularly Henry Clay. But I, the life-long Democrat, shocked Congressional Whigs by vetoing virtually their entire agenda. In 1843, after I vetoed a tariff bill, the House of Representatives considered the first impeachment resolution against a president in American history. A committee headed by former president John Quincy Adams concluded that I had misused the veto, but the impeachment resolution did not pass. But now, why I should be president today, I believe everyone deserves a chance. So I would cut taxes on the lower class families to help bring back the middle class. Also I will attempt to get more of the society working again. I would also make a plan to help reduce global warming, I do not believe it is all our faults, but we have sped up the process. I will put in place, more “safe energy” for example, by using more wind, water, solar, and other safer methods. And about the war, I would organize a plan to get out, but I will not just leave, it is time Iraq stands on their own feet, and we will leave gradually. But we will help them while leaving. While doing this I am going to make sure that home land secretly, FBI, and all federal accounts will stay in better touch to help us know what is happing in the country and out. One topic that has been and always be discussed is abortion; I will allow however the right to this if pleased. How am I to say what you can do to your body, I am not for it, but I would fell wrong to say what you most do. Also gay marriage, I would allow this, and give them all the benefits, it is their right to happiness in anyway the please. Immigration, I am for people coming to make an honest living, and try and better themselves. But if they come into our country and end up in jail, I will have them removed. Also if they are illegal immigrants, not try to become legal, I will have them removed. I also believe we need to secure the boarder better; this will be a hard task, but needs to be done. Another is energy independence; we import 75 percent of oil from foreign countries making us dependent on other countries. So we need to generate more energy from resources within our country. A majority of the money we spend on foreign oil could possibly end up in terrorist hands. So with this plan, I believe I would be the best candidate for president, vote John Tyler.

Initiative-1000

We support initiative 1000 because it gives the right to people to decide their fate. For example, people with terminal illnesses would be able to help themselves get out of pain and suffering. “Nancy Niedzielski, who watched her husband, Randy, die a lingering painful death from brain cancer in 2006”. “He knew the ugliness his death was going to cause him, the pain and suffering, Niedzielski said”. She goes on to talk about how her husband became “uncharacteristic and angry” for the doctors would not help him hasten his death because the law would not allow them to. Her husband told her “They don’t have a right to tell me how long I have to suffer”. So while I show you this example, it shows why I-1000 should be passed and not only allowed in Oregon. With this law being passed there requirements, for example, you have to be expected to die in six months. Also, be free of depression and able to muster sound judgment. You must also request the prescription verbally and in writing, and again verbally after a 15 day waiting period. Then you also have to have two witnesses, one not being related or a working doctor at the facility. The doctor can decline the patient the medication at any time. They must have a second doctor’s opinion about the patient before they can prescribe the lethal dose.

The Hefty to-do list...

1. Deepest housing recession in a generation, growing fears of bank failures, a sinking dollar, $4 gasoline and an economy bleeding jobs, confronting wars in Iraq, and Afghanistan.


2. In 2000, the last time no incumbent was running, consumer confidence was at record levels and the economy had created 1.3 million jobs in the year’s first six months. This is important, because people need jobs.


Bush’s budgets have add 1.7 trillion to the national dept. this is important because we should not be that far in dept.


Today, 82 percent of Americans say the economy is doing badly. The people should be happy with economy.


In August 2000, 89 percent of Americans said the economy was doing well, according to a Los Angeles Time poll. This shows how much or economy has gone down if you look at the percentage above.


Voters consider education is the most important issue after the economy, Iraq war, health care, terrorism, and illegal immigration. This shows was the nation thinks is important.


4.I believe that Obama will be able to meet the challenges in the future. For example, the war in Iraq, Obama want to with drawl troops by the end of 2009. We need this for we are sending troops into a place where we shouldn’t have gone in the first place. We are wasting money on the war we shouldn’t have started. Another reason is because; on global warming he wants to have a ten year plan to produce “climate friendly” energy supplies. Which we need, for if global warming is that big of a problem, we need to fix it sooner than later. Also, in immigration, he offers the right to get legal status, but wants to secure the boarder too. This is important, because having immigration legally is not a bad thing. But we need to secure the boarder.

Blog Rules

5. Never disrespect someone else in your blog, whether it's a person, an organization, or just a general idea. You don't want someone making a stab at what you are passionate about; don't do it to someone else.

6. Don't write about other people without permission; if you can't get their permission, use first names only. Never share someone elses last name.

1. Please, no last names, school names or addresses.

2. Do not link to your personal blog/journal from your school blog; you might reveal information on there that you don't want to reveal on your school blog.

8. Make sure things you write about are factual. Don't be posting about things that aren't true.

3. If you want to write your opinion on a topic, make sure you're not going to be offensive to anyone as you write it.

4. Always make sure you check over your post for spelling errors, grammar errors, and your use of words.

7. Watch your language! We're not at home, we are at school, this has to be at least remotely professional looking.

9. Keep it education-oriented. That means that you probably shouldn't discuss your plans for the weekend.