At the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s, the average American worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week just to earn a basic living. People of all ages- children and adults and especially the poor and recent immigrants - labored in factories, mills, and mines earning small wages and working in what were often unsafe working conditions, with no fresh air, bathroom facilities or breaks. Labor activists demonstrated, advocated, and battled for better conditions, including days off for workers. Read more...