Workers Rights and Child Labor

How Clara Lemlich and Lewis Hine changed the world.

1. Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909

We will share this true story to learn about the challenges immigrants faced when they arrived in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century.

2. Change Came too Late for Some

Although Clara's factory, as well as many others, improved the conditions for their workers, not all factories agreed to. Watch the video below to see what happened at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory just two years after the garment workers' strike.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Video

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3. Let's review.

Click here to review what you learned from the video.

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4. Child Labor

At the same time that workers were fighting for their rights in the factories, children all over America were being exploited. Many of these immigrant children were required to work to earn money for their poor families.

Watch this video below to learn about Child Labor in our country during the early 20th century.

5. Observing history through the lens of Lewis Hine.

Before clicking on the above button, read the steps below to understand how to examine a primary source photograph. Then go to the link and choose one of the images in the slideshow to examine. Record your observations on the worksheet.

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Step 1: Take in the WHOLE picture first.

This looks like a bunch of people working in some kind of factory. I see children and adults.

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Step 2: Divide the image into 4 quadrants and look more closely.

In the upper right quadrant, I see small windows. I predict that maybe they didn't get much fresh air in this factory. It was probably hot, too.

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Step 3: Think critically about what you are really seeing.

In the bottom right quadrant, I see a young girl standing on a thin board above a trench. It looks wet and like it might break. She could easily slip and hurt herself. I predict that this was not a safe place for children to be.