Who Led the Successful Effort for a Law in Illinois Banning Child Labor

The successful effort to ban child labor in Illinois was led by Jane Addams.

Checkout this video:

Child labor laws in Illinois

In the early 1900s, many children in the United States worked in factories, mines, and fields. They often worked long hours for little pay and had few if any protections. In response to this situation, reformers worked to pass child labor laws at the state and federal level.

In Illinois, one of the leaders of this effort was Florence Kelley. Kelley was born in Philadelphia in 1859. She was a lawyer and a social reformer. In 1893, she moved to Chicago to work for the newly formed Illinois Bureau of Labor.

Kelley helped to investigate working conditions in Illinois factories. She also lobbied for laws to improve these conditions. In 1904, she helped to pass a law that established an 8-hour workday for women and children in Illinois. This was the first such law in the United States.

Kelley continued her work to improve conditions for working people in Illinois. In 1908, she helped to pass a law that banned child labor in the state. This law made it illegal for businesses to employ children under the age of 14. It also set limits on the hours that older children could work.

The law Kelley helped to pass was an important step forward for workers’ rights in Illinois and across the United States.

The effort to ban child labor in Illinois

The effort to ban child labor in Illinois was led by a number of organizations, including the Children’s Aid Society and the Illinois State Federation of Labor. The campaign was successful, and a law banning child labor was passed in Illinois in 1903.

The people who led the effort to ban child labor in Illinois

The effort to ban child labor in Illinois was led by a number of different people, including members of the Illinois General Assembly, the Governor of Illinois, and various advocacy groups. In 1919, the Illinois General Assembly passed a law banning child labor, and in 1920, Governor Frank Lowden signed the law into effect. This law made it illegal for businesses to employ children under the age of 14.

The successful effort to ban child labor in Illinois was the result of many different people working together to make it happen. It was a long and difficult process, but in the end, it was successful.

Why child labor is harmful

Child labor is defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that:
– Is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or
– Interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend regular classes, or requiring them to leave school prematurely; and/or
– Is harmful to the health, safety or moral development of children.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), agricultures are the most common sector employing child laborers, followed by domestic work, manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction and services. Children often work in hazardous conditions and are exposed to serious risks such as handling dangerous materials; working long hours; working at night; or being exposed to extreme weather conditions. They may suffer from health problems such as musculoskeletal disorders (including backaches), respiratory problems (including asthma) and hearing loss.

In many cases, child laborers are paid very little for their work – sometimes nothing at all. This can result in families relying on children’s incomes which trap them in a cycle of poverty. Moreover, children who work are often unable to attend school regularly which limits their future prospects.

Child labor is a global problem but it is particularly widespread in developing countries. According to the ILO’s most recent estimate, there are 168 million child laborers around the world – more than half of whom are in hazardous work. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence of child labor with one in four children engaged in hazardous work.

The benefits of banning child labor

In the early 1900s, most children in the United States worked in businesses, helping their families make ends meet. At that time, there were no laws to protect working children. They often worked long hours for little pay in hazardous conditions.

This began to change in 1916 when a law was passed in Illinois banning child labor. The law was the result of a successful effort by reformers to improve working conditions for children.

The benefits of banning child labor are many. Children are able to go to school; they have more time to play; and they are less likely to be injured on the job. In addition, parents no longer have to rely on their children’s wages to support the family.

Despite these benefits, some businesses continue to use child labor. They often do so in poor countries where laws against it are not enforced. As a result, children in these countries often work long hours for little pay in hazardous conditions.

How the ban on child labor will be enforced in Illinois

The new law in Illinois banning child labor will be enforced by the Department of Labor. Any business found to be in violation of the law will be subject to a fine of up to $500. The law applies to all businesses in the state, regardless of size.

The Department of Labor will also be responsible for investigating any complaints of child labor violations. If a business is found to be in violation, they will be given a chance to correct the problem before any fines are levied.

The penalties for violating the child labor ban in Illinois

The act was sponsored by Rep. Thomas Paine Hamilton of Chicago and supported by Governor Edward F. Dunne. It went into effect on July 1, 1909, and made it illegal for any employer to hire children under the age of 14 for any type of work, with the exception of work on farms or in households. Violators were subject to a fine of $25 for each child found to be working illegally. The law also required employers to keep records of the ages of all employees under the age of 18.

The impact of the child labor ban on businesses in Illinois

The child labor ban had a significant impact on businesses in Illinois. The most immediate impact was the loss of cheap labor. Businesses that relied on child labor had to find other ways to cut costs, which often meant layoffs or other cost-cutting measures. In the long run, the child labor ban helped improve working conditions and wages for all workers, as well as increasing productivity and efficiency in businesses.

The impact of the child labor ban on families in Illinois

In 1896, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that “separate but equal” accommodations were constitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision had a profound impact on children’s lives, as it allowed states to pass laws mandating segregation in public schools. One of the most significant pieces of legislation to come out of this decision was the Compulsory Education Act of 1897, which required children between the ages of eight and fourteen to attend school for at least eight months out of the year.

This ruling also paved the way for states to pass child labor laws, as it was now constitutional to mandate that children attend school instead of work. Illinois was one of the first states to pass a child labor law, banning children under the age of fourteen from working in factories, mines, and other dangerous occupations. The law also required children between the ages of eight and fourteen to attend school for at least eight months out of the year.

The passage of this law had a profound impact on families in Illinois. Many parents could no longer afford to send their children to school and support their families on their own. As a result, many families were forced to move to other states where child labor laws were not as strict.

The child labor ban in Illinois had a significant impact on the lives of children and families in the state. It led to an increase in school attendance and helped improve working conditions for children across Illinois.

The future of child labor in Illinois

In the early 1900s, children as young as five years old were working in factories, coal mines, and other hazardous occupations. Because they were small and could fit into tight spaces, children were often used in jobs that adults couldn’t do. They were also paid less than adults, which made them attractive to employers.

In response to public outcry over the exploitation of child laborers, many states passed laws banning child labor. Illinois was one of the first states to pass such a law, in 1903. The Illinois law was mostly successful in preventing children from working in dangerous occupations. However, some employers found ways to get around the law, and child labor remained a problem in Illinois into the 20th century.

In recent years, there has been a renewed effort to crack down on child labor both in the United States and around the world. In 2010, President Obama signed a law that increased penalties for employers who violate child labor laws. And in 2012, the International Labour Organization adopted a new Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, which sets standards for eliminati ng child labor worldwide. Thanks to these and other efforts, the number of children working in hazardous occupations has decreased significantly over the past few years.