Child Labor in the Industrial Revolution — Reading Comprehension

Premium Resource

Grades

Standards

D2.HIS.2.3-5
D2.HIS.16.3-5
RI.4.3
RI.4.4
W.4.2

About This Reader

This engaging history reading passage introduces students to the topic of child labor during the Industrial Revolution in the United States. Through a clear, chronological narrative, readers learn how children worked in factories, the dangers they faced, and how reformers fought for change. The passage supports foundational literacy skills and is aligned with C3 Framework and Common Core standards. Activities include a comprehension quiz, writing prompts, a glossary, a timeline, and a graphic organizer. The resource also features an authentic public domain image, a Spanish translation, and a read aloud audio option, making it accessible for diverse learners. Keywords include: Industrial Revolution, child labor, Progressive Era, U.S. history, reform, and standards-based learning.

CONTENT PREVIEW

A few of the young boys working on the night shift at the Alexandria (Va.) Glass Factory. See also photos and labels 2260 to 2271. Location: Alexandria, Virginia.
Source: Library of Congress - Hine, Lewis Wickes, 1874-1940

During the Industrial Revolution, many children in the United States worked in factories, mines, and mills. The Industrial Revolution was a time when machines and new inventions changed the way people lived and worked.

As factories grew, owners needed more workers. They hired children because they could pay them less than adults. Some children started work as young as six years old. They worked long hours each day, sometimes up to twelve hours with only short breaks.

Children often did hard and dangerous jobs. In textile mills, they fixed machines and cleaned floors. In coal mines, they carried heavy loads and crawled through narrow tunnels. Factory owners thought children’s small size helped them reach places adults could not. But these jobs were unsafe, and many children were hurt or became sick. One worker said, "I worked from dawn until dark, and sometimes I was too tired to eat."

Many families needed the money children earned. Parents and children both worked to survive. But some people saw this was not right. Reformers, like Lewis Hine, took photos to show the truth about child labor. Hine’s pictures helped others see how hard and unfair these jobs were for children.

Laws began to change because of the work of reformers. In the early 1900s, new rules made it illegal for very young children to work. The government said all children must go to school instead. This helped protect children and gave them a chance for a better future.

Because people spoke up, children could stop working in dangerous places. Now, children in the United States go to school instead of working in factories. This important change helped families and made the country stronger.

Interesting Fact: Some children who worked in factories later became leaders for change. They spoke about their lives to help protect other children.

Where did many children work?

Factories, mines, and millsSchools and parksLibraries and storesOffices and banks

Who took photos to show child labor?

Lewis HineThomas EdisonHenry FordGeorge Washington

What did new rules in the 1900s do?

Made child labor illegalBuilt more factoriesPaid children moreClosed all schools

Why did factory owners hire children?

They were paid lessThey were tallerThey liked to playThey could drive trucks

What is a reformer?

Someone who works for changeA person who builds machinesA student in schoolA worker in a mine

What was one effect of the new laws?

Children went to schoolMore children workedFactories got biggerParents stopped working