Question

Why were children valued as laborers in coal mines during the industrial revolution?

Answer 1

Answer: Their small bodies allowed them to pull loads of coal through small tunnels.

Explanation: Children were often used because they could crawl or handle being in tight spaces.

Answer 2

The use of the steam engine in the mills allowed the mills to move into the cities and towns from their previous locations along waterways because they no longer needed the water for power (Tuttle, 2001). Tuttle also connects that the increased work that could be done in the mills required more labor and factory owners had previously relied on orphans to do the work but now they are able to open up the work to more children. 
Definition of Child Labor .Throughout this report child labor will be focusing on labor outside the home; particularly that of child labor in cotton factories. Child labor did exist in other industries such as mining, and agriculture during the same time but the inclusion of these areas within this report would only increase the length and not the validity of this report. Many of the aspects discussed in this report were true in these other areas also. Children will be defined, as under the age of 16, despite this fact some of the report will involve workers over the age of 16.