Writing About Technology
The Fair Labor Standards Act was passed by Congress on 25th June, 1938. The main objective of the act was to eliminate "labor conditions detrimental to the maintenance of the minimum standards of living necessary for health, efficiency and well-being of workers". The act established maximum working hours of 44 a week for the first year, 42 for the second, and 40 thereafter. Minimum wages of 25 cents an hour were established for the first year, 30 cents for the second, and 40 cents over a period of the next six years. The Fair Labor Standards Act also prohibited child labour in all industries engaged in producing goods in inter-state commerce. The act set the minimum age at 14 for employment outside of school hours in non-manufacturing jobs, at 16 for employment during school hours, and 18 for hazardous occupations.
Look at these photographs by Lewis Hine. What do you read?
Boys Working
Boys Working II
Find books in ELIZA
Tip: For an overview of the history of an industry, look in the index of The Dictionary of American History (Ref. E174 .D52 2003).
Use Keywords and Connecting Words (and, or, not)
cigar industry
tobacco workers
cigar makers
clothing
garment
agriculture
textile industry
textile mills
seafood
canneries
glassworks
wages and history
working class
hours of labor
children
child labor
laws
labor laws
children and employment
N.B. Add "united states" to your searches!
Use your imagination in constructing your search, e.g., in KEYWORD SEARCH:
Find Articles in Journals
Expanded Academic ASAP
Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers, across disciplines, including the social sciences- many with full text and images.
America: History and Life
A bibliographic reference (citations to articles -- not the articles themselves) to the history of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present.
Find Sites on the Web
When you look on your own, be sure to evaluate the legitimacy of a site for inclusion in a scholarly project!
CLICK for tips for evaluation.
Here are a few I found, in no particular order!
The Library of Congress American Memory
A remarkable collection of images, collected papers, and -- most wonderful for your purposes -- ORAL HISTORIES!
From the front page, select "Technology, Industry."
Search selected collections for "child labor."
You will find brief, but evocative, statements from shoe shine boys, newsboys, etc.
Brief History of Child Labor
From Houghton Mifflin's The Reader's Companion to American History, a pretty good, quick overview.
Lost Labor
A collection of photographs, historical and contemporary, organized by industry. Includes steel, textiles, food, etc.
Women Working, 1870-1930
From Harvard's Open Library Collections Program.
Select "BROWSE THE COLLECTION." Under "By Subject," select "Topics." Select from "Types of Work/ Occupations/ Professions."
History of Oystering
A fine technical history of oystering, published in Marine Fisheries Review, Fall, 1996.
The History Place: Child Labor in America
More photos by Lewis Hine, with annotations containing information you will need.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States, from the First through the One Hundredth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1989, inclusive
For students who choose option #2, writing a letter to a U.S. Senator from 1910.
Hint: 1910 was the last year of the 61st Congress.
Link here for the LIST OF BOOKS ON RESERVE
Online Guide to Citation of Works Consulted
Humanities: Documenting Sources, from Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation Online, gives examples of citations for various types of sources. Use the drop menu to select.
This page is maintained by Judith Aaron. Last updated on 8/25/08.
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