The law prohibited the employment of pauper children (children dependent on charity) under 9 years of age in cotton mills.

In 1802, the British Parliament

under 14

1860, only a few states had outlawed factory employment of children under 10 or 12 years of age.

could not work at night, and their workday was limited to 12 hours

1836, Massachusetts p

assed the first state child labor law in the United States

law prohibited the employment of children under 15 in any factory unless the children had attended school for at least three months during the preceding year.

1819, the law was extended to include all children. No real provision for enforcing these laws was made until 1833. Ger

Enforcement of these laws proved difficult because of the large number of poor families and government reluctance to offend employers. By 1890, nearly 20 percent of U.S. children were employed full-time.