Which provision did the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916 address?

Which provision did the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916 address?

• A. Prohibiting child labor nationwide
• B. Limiting the working hours of children
• C. Providing tax incentives for manufacturers employing children
• D. Establishing a federal minimum wage for children

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how the federal government tried to curb child labor by using its power over interstate commerce. The Keating-Owen Act was designed to limit child labor by forbidding the interstate shipment of goods produced by underage workers and by setting restrictions on how many hours young workers could be employed. It targets the conditions of work—specifically the amount of time children could be on the job—rather than implementing a nationwide ban, a tax incentive, or a federal minimum wage. This approach reflects the era’s push to reduce child labor through regulation tied to commerce across state lines. While the act’s enforcement and constitutional questions led to legal challenges later on, the provision that aligns with reducing child labor emphasizes limiting hours for young workers.

The main idea here is how the federal government tried to curb child labor by using its power over interstate commerce. The Keating-Owen Act was designed to limit child labor by forbidding the interstate shipment of goods produced by underage workers and by setting restrictions on how many hours young workers could be employed. It targets the conditions of work—specifically the amount of time children could be on the job—rather than implementing a nationwide ban, a tax incentive, or a federal minimum wage. This approach reflects the era’s push to reduce child labor through regulation tied to commerce across state lines. While the act’s enforcement and constitutional questions led to legal challenges later on, the provision that aligns with reducing child labor emphasizes limiting hours for young workers.