1. Were factories really that bad?
L/O – To judge how dangerous working conditions were for children in factories
20min video on factory conditions is available, it has good source analysis on it but is dated.
Starter – Why do you think factory owners liked to employ children to work in them?

2. Before Factories
Before the era of the factories, people tended to live in rural areas and work at home.
This might sound like a nice way of life now, but it wasn’t all that brilliant at the time.

3. Before Factories

4. What do you think the conditions were like in these cottages?
Before Factories
What do you think the conditions were like in these cottages?
Often, most of a worker’s small cottage was given over to his working equipment.

5. The Factory System
The Domestic System was pretty hard, but it could be said that the Factory System was even harder.
Many factory owners were far more interested in the profits they made, than the welfare of the workers they employed.
There were no rules about health and safety when factories were first built.

6. A typical industrial town

7. How did factory owners treat their workers?
In the first factories, owners could make their own rules and regulations. They wanted to make a profit so they took advantage of their workers.
They made them work long hours for little pay. Women and children were particularly badly treated. There were no laws to protect them from this.

8. Imagine standing at this machine for 13 hours a day!

11. How did factory owners treat their workers?
Mill owners were keen to employ children as they could pay them very little.
Children could also crawl under machines to clean them. Some worked with their parents. Others were orphans from the cities who had become apprentices.
Overlookers were employed to make sure children worked hard all day. They were paid according to the amount of work that the children did.
Apprentice – a young person who was taught a skill and given board and lodging by their employer.
Overlooker – a person in charge of factory owners

12. Child Labour – Good or Bad?
Analyse the Sources on your hand-out to help fill in the table below:
Sources that oppose child labour in factories
Sources that support child labour in factories
Source B – because it illustrates how children worked in cramped and dirty conditions (mistreated, orphan).
Extension – 1. Can you be sure that the children were so badly treated in all factories? 2. What other kinds of evidence do you need?

13. Child Labour – Good or Bad?
Analyse the Sources on your hand-out by answering the following questions for each source:
What is the source? Who is it written by and when was it written?
Does the source support the use of child workers or does it oppose the use of child workers? Why?
What words does the source use to describe factory conditions for child workers?
Extension – 1. Can you be sure that the children were so badly treated in all factories? 2. What other kinds of evidence do you need?

14. Child Labour – Can we be sure?
Now answer the following questions to conclude your study:
Look at the authors of each source. Are there any sources that you don’t believe or that are biased? Why?
Can you be sure that the children were so badly treated in all factories?
What other kinds of evidence do you need?
Extension – 1. Can you be sure that the children were so badly treated in all factories? 2. What other kinds of evidence do you need?

15. Campaign Posters
It is Parliament is to be asked to pass laws preventing factory owners from employing children. Some owners are claiming that this is not necessary. Decide which campaign you want to join:
The campaign to stop child labour
The campaign to support the factory owners’ right to employ children
Create a leaflet to persuade people to support your campaign. Include examples how children are treated from the Sources.
Start by explaining who the children were and from
Describe how child workers are treated in factories
Finish off with a strong statement to Parliament saying why you believe that child labour in factories should or should not be banned.

16. Factory Conditions Quiz