Child Labor And The Coal Strike Of 1902

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The Great Strike of 1902, also known as the Coal Strike of 1902, placed a spotlight on the severity of the issues of child labor in the American Industrial Revolution. Even though laws in Pennsylvania required that boys be at least 12 years or older to work a surface level coal mine job, the state did not enforce these laws, leading to multitudes of younger boys working illegally. The strike was a driving force to show the immorality of child labor. Boys were forced to work long hours and in the harshest of conditions. But, 147,000 coal miners went on strike, determined to shorten work hours and increase safety in their workplace. The number of young boys on strike shocked Americans, and the 1900 U.S. Census revealed that 1.75 million children

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