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A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History
Reshaping the Nation and the Emergence of Modern America: 1877 to 1930s Back to History Unit

(d) identifying the impact of the Progressive Movement, including child labor and antitrust laws, the rise of labor unions, and the success of the women's suffrage movement.


Child Labor and Lewis Hine Photographs
The History Place: Child Labor in America 1908-1912

Description: Lewis Hine dramatized the child labor issue in the early 20th century by taking photographs of the children at work, often showing very young children and very difficult jobs.



Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestions
  • Why are child labor laws so much more detailed and strict than general labor laws?
  • Imagine you could not go to school and had to work. Would you be happy? What if working meant long days, no breaks, and little pay? Would you still be happy?
  • What is a sweatshop? Do they still exist?
Suggestions for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson
  • Distribute various testimonials and ask students to role play the content on their card. What would it be like to be this person?
  • Distribute different testimonials that are similar to students in groups of four or five. Interview them about their experiences. What was their day like? What could make it better or worse?
  • Have students read the testimonials and create a newspaper report or front-page about the current state of child labor. How might this report differ if the testimonials were from business owners?

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