Child Labor In The 19th Century Essay

The late 1800’s and the early 1900’s was a time when poverty and growth was at a record high for the American people. America was growing and becoming a force to be reckoned with; but at the same time, some American’s were struggling to make ends meet. Throughout 1877, until the last third of the 19th century farmers and sharecroppers were not profiting from their crops. The deflation of crops made it almost impossible for farmers to own land. Those that didn’t own land became sharecroppers and they did not receive the number of crops they were promised. Environmental damage, from using fertilizer, caused the soil to deplete on the land and many farmers abandoned their land. Farmers were living in a state of poverty and were unable to make a living for their families. During 1939, Big businesses and corporations were growing and making tons of money at the expense of the workers. The workers were made to work in unsafe conditions, long hours, and all for little to no pay. Child labor was at an all-time high, children were having to quit school and working to help support their families. The government was run by big businesses and the federal government did nothing about it. Government officials were taking money from business owners, and in return they would pass laws that would benefit individual businesses. This caused other businesses to suffer and this was not fair to them. The employees of the “big businesses” lived in cities that were overcrowded, in unsanitary conditions, and were on the brink of starvation. During this era, people were getting …show more content…
The United States economy thrived off big businesses during this era. The big businesses operated in railroads, steel, oil, food production, and other types of businesses. These businesses created many jobs for the American people, although the working conditions weren’t always