SKILLBUILDERHANDBOOKR17
2.9 Analyzing Issues
An issue is a matter of public concern or debate. Issues in history are usually economic,
social, political, or moral. Historical issues are often more complicated than they first
appear. ANALYZING AN ISSUE means taking a controversy apart to find and describe
the different points of view about the issue.Understanding the Skill
STRATEGY: LOOK FOR DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE ISSUE. The following passage
describes working conditions in English factories in the early 1800s. The cluster
diagram that follows the passage helps you to analyze the issue of child labor.STRATEGY: MAKE A CLUSTER DIAGRAM.
Applying the Skill
MAKE YOUR OWN CLUSTER DIAGRAM. Chapter 34, page 998, describes the
partition of India. Make a cluster diagram to analyze the issue and the positions
of the people involved.Section 2: Higher-Order Critical Thinking
Look for a central problem
with its causes and effects.Look for facts and statistics.
Factual information helps you
understand the issue and evaluate
the different sides or arguments.Look for different sides to
the issue. You need to consider
all sides of an issue before decid-
ing your position.3
2
1
If an issue is complex, make
a cluster diagram. A cluster
diagram can help you analyze
an issue.2
1
Children at Work
Child labor was one of the most serious problems of the early Industrial Revolution. Children as
young as 6 years worked exhausting jobs in factories and mines. Because wages were very low, many
families in cities could not survive unless all their members, including children, worked.
In most factories, regular work hours were 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening, often with two
“over-hours” until 8. It was common for 40 or more children to work together in one room—a room
with little light or air. Those who lagged behind in their work were often beaten. Because safety was
a low concern for many factory owners, accidents were common.
In 1831, Parliament set up a committee to investigate abuses of child labor. Medical experts
reported that long hours of factory work caused young children to become crippled or stunted in their
growth. They recommended that children younger than age 14 should work no more than 8 hours.
Factory owners responded that they needed children to work longer hours in order to be profitable.
As one owner testified, reduced working hours for children would “much reduce the value of my mill
and machinery, and consequently of... my manufacture.” As a result of the committee’s findings,
Parliament passed the Factory Act of 1833. The act made it illegal to hire children under 9 years old,
and it limited the working hours of older children.2
3
Issue: Should Parliament
restrict child labor?In favor of child labor:
Who: factory owners, some parents
Reasons: Shorter hours would reduce
profits. Children’s income
essential for families.Against child labor:
Who: medical examiners
Reasons: Children working in factories
suffered permanent deformities.Facts: • Children as young as 6 years worked.- Working hours were typically 12 hours a day, often with 2 hours overtime.
- Working conditions were dangerous, unhealthy, and inhumane.
- Factory work caused deformities in young children.