1. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 6 US History: Civil War to the Present Marie Van Vorst focused attention on the problem of child labor. Many children worked in industry—in 1900 more than 1.75 million children age 15 or younger. Children as young as seven years old provided cheap labor for manufacturers but brought home only small amounts of money to their families. Reformers wanted labor laws to protect women and children. Main Idea 1: Reformers attempted to improve conditions for child laborers.

2. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 6 US History: Civil War to the Present Florence Kelley was a leader in the fight against child labor. Massachusetts passed the first minimum-wage law in 1912, and established a commission to set wage rates for children. Congress passed federal child-labor laws in 1916 and 1919, banning child-labor products from interstate commerce. – The Supreme Court ruled the laws unconstitutional. Child-Labor Reform

3. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 6 US History: Civil War to the Present Workplace accidents were coming in 1800s and early 1900s. – Some 35,000 Americans were killed industrial accidents in 1900. – About 500,000 suffered injuries in 1900. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire that killed 146 workers, mostly women and girls, led to laws to improve factory safety. Reformers fought for workers’ compensation laws, which guaranteed a portion of lost wages to workers injured on the job. In 1902 Maryland became the first state to pass a workers’ compensation law. Main Idea 2: Unions and reformers took steps to improve safety in the workplace and to limit working hours.

4. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 6 US History: Civil War to the Present Some businesses opposed workplace regulations, believing that the economy should operate without government interference. They went to court to block new labor laws. New York passed a law in 1897 limiting bakers to a 10-hour workday. – Bakery owner Joseph Lochner sued. – In Lochner v. New York (1905), the Supreme Court ruled the law unconstitutional. – The court ruled that the state could not restrict employers from entering into any kind of agreement with employees. In 1908, however, the Supreme Court upheld a law restricting women’s work hours in Muller v. Oregon, ruling that it was a public health issue. The Courts and Labor

5. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 6 US History: Civil War to the Present Labor Organizations American Federation of Labor led by Samuel Gompers Supported capitalism, an economic system in which private firms run industry Labor unions tried to improve working conditions and pay. Union membership rose from 800,000 in 1900 to about 5 million in 1920. Some unions supported socialism, a system in which the government owns most industry. Leading socialist union was Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). IWW led by William “Big Bill” Haywood