Question

Why were children often hired to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution?(2 points)
Responses

Children could fit into tight spaces between machines and could be paid smaller wages, so factory owners hired them.
Children could fit into tight spaces between machines and could be paid smaller wages, so factory owners hired them.

Factories were too dangerous for women to work in, so factory owners hired children instead.
Factories were too dangerous for women to work in, so factory owners hired children instead.

Men were too busy on the family farm to work in factories, so factory owners needed to hire children.
Men were too busy on the family farm to work in factories, so factory owners needed to hire children.

There were no schools for children who lived in the city, so factory owners hired them so they had something to do during the day.

Answer 1

Children were often hired to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution because:

1. Children could fit into tight spaces between machines and could be paid smaller wages, so factory owners hired them.

This allowed factory owners to maximize their profits while minimizing their labor costs.

The other options are not accurate or do not reflect the primary reasons for child labor during that time period.