Jump ropes, chores, and one-room school houses : children's lives in the 1800s

For most of the 1800s, children were considered'small, unruly adults'who needed to be strictly disciplined and put to useful work as soon as they were able. The very concept of childhood itself, as a carefree, innocent time, is a result of increasing economic stability and changing family roles in the 1800s. Before child welfare laws were enacted and compulsory education enforced, children made up an important part of the industrial and agricultural workforce in 1800s America. Toys and time for games and fun may have been a luxury, but kids will be kids, and the adults that loved them made sure their lives weren't all work and no play. The establishment of public schools, more humane working conditions, and expanding economic opportunities helped improve the life of America's children in the 1800s, but they worked hard and their pleasures were simple ones. Discusses the experiences of American children during the 1800s, from wealthy boys and girls who had leisure time and private tutors to young farmers and factory workers who contributed to the survival of their families from an early age. Describes what life was like for nineteenth-century American women, exploring how they worked hard to care for their families and homes in urban areas and on the frontier, and discussing how they were impacted by various social movements Describes what life was life for nineteenth-century American children, exploring their role in the labor force, the impact changing policies on education and child labor had on their lives, and what they did for fun Contents Introduction Part I. Play Part II. School Part III. Work Think About It Words Used in This Book Find Out More Index Picture Credits About the Author and the Consultant