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The Start of Child Labor Laws

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During the Early Modern Era the opinions toward children varied between different societies. In most civilizations children weren’t treated with any special treatments and were raised to be obedient workers and in turn affecting their education. In these societies children were brought depending on social status, and because of this bias many children were forced to hard labor. Though there are many regional and culture differences, at this time the world was opening up to reform and rebuilding, and due to a lack people in the workforce to handle such a task, child labor became the commonality. In most regions of the world at the time, children were trained to be productive members of society. Training usually differed between classes and gender. The rise in Neo-Confucianism, and Protestant beliefs are part of what shaped society into viewing children with this bias. These religions, amongst many others, kept a standard for people on how to live their life. This standard usually dealt with people being virtuous, hardworking citizens, and when someone does not concur with this, they are punished. For example, Author and songwriter Isaac Watts says in one of his songs “… For Satan finds some mischief still, For idle hands to do.” [Doc. 4], and this is how Watts linked the devil to idleness and mischief. With that many of the people in these societies became hardworking, and raised their kids to this standard of obedience and productiveness. While most religions

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