LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION• The Industrial Revolution began in the 18 th century and

lasted until the mid 19th century.

• Before this time, every product was made by hand.

BEFORE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• At this time, people produced their own food, clothes, tools, etc… Production was very inefficient

• The working man was lucky to own two shirts.

1760• The Industrial Revolution began in the year 1760

when the textile industry was transformed by the invention of machines.

• Production became efficient and cost-effective.

DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• A lot more than just the textile industry changed. For example, agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing in general were transformed.

INCREASING URBANIZATION• As factories grew, more workers were needed for

production.

• As jobs were created, more and more people left their rural farms and moved to the city to work in the factories.

WORKERS• Since the work was abundant, these factories

employed men, women and children of all ages.

WORKING CONDITIONS• Workers were expected to work 16 to 18 hours a day, seven

days a week.

• Wages were very low: less than a pound for men, 10 shillings for women, and 3 shillings for children.

• This is equivalent to: 320 Euros per year, or 0,08 cents per day.

WORKING CONDITIONS• On any given day, there could be more than 500 workers in a

factory so the environment was hot, noisy, full of steam, fumes and dust.

• Sanitary conditions were also terrible. There was no clean water and toilets were often a hole in the ground.

• Work-related accidents were common and the workers received no compensation.

• Triangle Shirt Factory fire killed

114 workers.

CHILD LABOUR• During the Industrial Revolution children constituted 2/3 of the

working force in England and Scotland.

• They were expected to work as long as adults

• They were paid significantly less than adults

• They performed dangerous jobs such as climbing the machines to unblock them or going into narrow spaces to collect coal.

CHEAP LABOUR

CHILD LABOUR• Children worked in extremely unsanitary

conditions

• They were often beaten by other workers.

FACTORY ACT

• Although the factories claimed that they were providing jobs for the poor, eventually the government intervened and passed the Factory Act in 1844.

• This law established that children had to be 9 years or older to work and they could only work 12 hours a day.

LIVING CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS

• As a result from the fumes and dust that workers often inhaled for many hours a day, chest illnesses were common.

• Houses and apartments were not properly conditioned to be lived in and they were also very expensive.

LIVING CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS

• There was no proper sewage systems in either the working places or the living spaces so diseases like cholera, typhoid, and tuberculosis rapidly spread.

• During the 19th century, 10.000 people died from cholera and 60.000 died from tuberculosis.

• The life expectancy dropped drastically

• In London people were expected to live only 37 years.

• Twenty five percent of children died before they were five years old.

TODAY• The International Labour Organization estimates that

215 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 are working under conditions that are considered illegal, hazardous, or extremely exploitative.

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES• Of the estimated 215 child labourers around the globe:

approximately 114 million (53%) are in Asia and the Pacific; 14 million (7%) live in Latin America; and 65 million (30%) live in sub-Saharan Africa.

• Agriculture, manufacturing, mining, domestic service, prostitution, etc.

WHAT CAUSES CHILD LABOUR?• Poverty

• Free education is limited• Existing laws are violated

HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL RISK FACTORS

• Greater risk of hearing loss

• Smaller size

• Development of organs and tissues

• Lower heat tolerance

• Higher chemical absorption rates

Think about the Industrial Revolution and the world today….

Why do we still have child labour?