Industrial Revolution Child Labor WebQuest

Introduction

We are going to take a journey back in time to learn about child laborers.

During the early 1800's America was going through the Industrial Revolution, a time of great change to industry and agriculture. Water and steam were used to power new technology that was being invented. Machines like the power loom were invented and used to turn cotton into yarn and then turn yarn into cloth faster than people could do it by hand. This new technology changed the way families lived and worked.

The Industrial Revolution brought with it some great changes, inventions that created jobs and made products faster and better. One of the problems created with the advances in the 1800's was the need for labor and children taking on jobs of adults.

You are going to research the jobs that children had during the Industrial Revolution of the 1800's. You will discover what a day was like for a child and understand what child labor laws are.

 

 

Task

You will research what a typical day was like for a child your age or younger during the Industrial Revolution. Your group will be assigned one of the jobs that children had and each of you will document your research on a Child Laborers WebQuest worksheet.

The roles we will be researching are:

  • Mill (factory Workers
  • Coal Workers
  • Newsies (Newsboys)
  • Seafood Workers

When you have completed your WebQuest worksheet your group will discuss what you have learned and prepare to share your role as a child laborer of the 1800's with the class.

Process

You and your team will work hard, just like the children of the Industrial Revolution to learn and document the roles children had during the 1800's.

Follow the steps to journey back in time on your quest

Step 1: You and your group have been provided a Child Laborer Role Worksheet and your teacher has assigned you a job to research. Write your name and role on your worksheet and prepare to begin your journey.

Step 2: Locate your job title below and use only the links provided to research and begin answering the the questions on your Child Laborer Role Worksheet.

Step 3: When you have completed your reserach and answered all 10 questions on your worksheet quietly discuss what you have learned and how you will share your job with the class.

Step 4: Once you have completed your worksheet and group discussion about your job, ask your teacher for the Sensory Figure Data Worksheet. You will take this worksheet and fill in senses asked for about a child's senses during their job.

Child Labor Roles

Use the Internet links provided to research your job

  • Mill (Factory) Workers

 

Factory Work

Factory Conditions

The History Place

Social Studies Help

  • Coal Workers

Breaker Boys

The History Place

Working in the Mines

Children Coal Miners

Coal Work

  • Newsies (News Boys)

News Boys

Newsies

History Detectives

The History Place

  • Seafood Workers

The History Place

Oyster Shuckers

Southern Shrimp Pickers