When a child helps with household chores after school, he or she may dust or wash dishes. A child who grew up 100 years ago may not have gone to school at all. He or she may have worked full time as a powder monkey or a loblolly. Take a look at these and other historical jobs for kids.
Instead of sending children up a chimney, a goose would be tied to a rope and sent up to clean the soot with its feathers. |
Chimney sweeps: Small children, 6 to 8 years old, crawled up chimneys and loosened the soot with a broom. They often worked 12-hour days.
Gillie boys: These boys helped fishermen. They baited hooks, pulled nets, and prepared food.
Loblollies: These boys were surgeons' assistants and worked on military ships.
Office boys: Young boys worked in offices sharpening pencils, stuffing envelopes, sweeping floors, and running errands.
Powder monkeys: These boys worked on warships and at forts, carrying gunpowder to the cannons during battle.
Vendors: Children often sold things on city streets. There were newspaper boys, muffin boys, and hot corn girls.
Waterboys: Farm and construction crews had waterboys, who brought water to them while they worked.
