Why were children often hired to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution?

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

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.

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

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

1 answer

Children were often hired to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution primarily because they could fit into tight spaces between machines and could be paid smaller wages. Factory owners sought to minimize costs, and children represented a cheap source of labor. Additionally, their small size allowed them to perform tasks in cramped areas where adults could not easily reach. This exploitation of child labor was prevalent due to the harsh economic conditions of the time and the lack of regulations protecting workers.