LAD #29 Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act was passed in 1916 in response to the census of 1900, saying that two million children were working in the United States. The bill was passed based on the power that the government had on the regulation of interstate commerce. Overall, it prevented children under a certain age to work in certain conditions. Children under 16 could not work in mines, at night, or for more than eight hours a day. This was ruled unconstitutional in Hammer v. Dagenhart by the Supreme Court on account of the fact that it overstepped the government's purpose of regulating interstate commerce.


The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 also helped create child labor laws, as well as normal labor laws.

LAD#28 Wilson's Inaugural Address

Woodrow Wilson first took office in 1912. In his inaugural address, he discussed the changes that had been occurring in the previous government. The majority of the government representatives at this point were Democratic, meaning the government would be very efficient in passing lows because they shared opinions. Wilson believed that this was a good idea because it was a fresh new ideology to run the country by. He believes that life in America had improved, but there was still suffering, and at times the government would disregard this for economic advancements. He also promises to resolve important issues including the financial system, tariffs, big businesses, workers rights, and sanitation. He believed that with the democratic populous in the government, the country would benefit.


Franklin Delano Roosevelt was also very successful in getting a lot done with Congress, as both were also democratic.

LAD #27 Clayton's Anti-Trust Act

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914 was another action by the government to restrict big businesses. This was created to break up big trusts and monopolies that were harmful for american competition and industry. This act made it illegal to discriminate prices between products and services of similar value if it promoted a monopoly or other big business tactics that were corrupt. This also prevented big businesses and companies holding large portions of certain industries to dramatically change their prices with the intention of driving out competition to create large monopolies. Additionally, other countries could no longer buy large portions of stock of corporations or businesses. Overall, the power of big businesses were weakened, and the power of the federal government was strengthened.

This is like the Sherman Antitrust Act, that also moved to eliminate trusts and monopolies of big businesses.

LAD #26 MLK's "I Have a Dream" Speech

In Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech, he begins by referencing the act of former President Abraham Lincoln--sighning the Emancipation Proclamation and freeing the slaves. This was a huge step in the right direction for many African Americans, but according to MLK, they are still not truely free. King lists many issues that African Americans face during this tumultuous time period. He makes the analogy that they are "cashing a check" at the capitol--their right to life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness. He continues the check analogy by saying that they are getting the message that there are "insufficient funds". He encourages his fellow advocats to keep cashing the check because the "bank of liberty cannot go bankrupt". He stresses that the time for change is now, and his acts of civil disobedience will continue until they see change. He restresses that no acts of violence or crime should be committed under the name of equality. Finally, he proceeds to the most well known part of his speech. He has many dreams, like for his children to live in a country that "does not judge them based on the color of their skin, but the content of their character". Lastly he references the famous patriotic song "My Country 'tis of Thee". His dream is for "freedom to ring" everywhere in America.




This speech is similar to Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" speech because it demands equality and justice for all, not just white men.