AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Labor Reform (Day 211/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about Labor Reform as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Ivey Mill, Hickory, N.C. Little one, 3 years old, who visits and plays in the mill. Wikimedia Commons

At the turn of the century, Progressives targeted labor reform to address issues of long working hours and low wages especially for women and children.

Oyster Shuckers, Library of Congress

Progressive reformers, such as Florence Kelley and Lewis Hine, worked tirelessly to expose the harsh realities of child labor and women’s working hours through investigative journalism and photography.

One of spinners in Whitnel Cotton Mfg. Co. (N.C.), Library of Congress

Successful efforts to combat child labor included the formation of the National Child Labor Committee in 1904 and the passage of the Keating-Owen Act of 1916. It was the first federal law to regulate child labor, however, the Supreme Court later declared parts of the act unconstitutional.

Muller v. Oregon, Oyez

The Supreme Court ruling in Muller v. Oregon declared that shorter working hours for women were necessary for their well-being and the health of society. Additionally, the Women’s Trade Union League emerged to address women’s workplace issues.

The Progressive movement pushed for the reform in labor especially for women and children by advocating for the regulation of working hours and fair wages. 

Join me tomorrow as I explain Workplace Safety & Sanitation in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!