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Children likely participated in family and community activities, learning essential survival skills through observation and imitation.
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Childbirth was normally the main purpose of a marriage, but it was dangerous for both mother and child. most kids were not named or even considered people until a few days after birth because most wouldn't survive.
Babies were abandoned and if found, would become slaves.
Girls were sold off to get married, boys were expected to become soldiers and were trained since childhood -
Children were treated like small adults. Childhood was often short due to high infant mortality rates, and children were expected to work and help the family from early ages. Noble children received more formal education. -
Infanticide of both legitimate and illegitimate children was a common practice
"the first-born was usually allowed to live, especially if it was a boy. Girls were, of course, valued little" -
"The law began to consider killing an infant murder only in 374 A.D."
This was only in certain parts of the world -
Parents began to accept children as having a soul and murder against children was penalized, so they began to abandon instead of murdering.
Children were still full of evil and needed to be abused -
Children started to be portrayed as innocent and pure, shifting the value of childhood and they were kids were seen. However, the abuse and exploitation of children didn't change -
Children were whipped and beaten as a form of discipline, older kids got the worst treatment
"The beatings described in the sources were generally severe, involved bruising and bloodying of the body, began early, and were a regular part of the child’s life."
Babies were also beaten frequently
"frequent, yet not severe whippings Rousseau said that babies in their earliest days were often beaten to keep them quiet." -
In the18th century children worked in mines and factories for low pay. In England and Scotland in 1788, two-thirds of the workerforce were children -
In 1856, the law permitted child labour past age 9 for 60 hours per week. In 1901, the permissible child labour age was raised to 12
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in the 20th century, concept of childhood as a time of fun of happiness was enabled by child psychology and advances in the economy -
By 1990 most counties had laws against child labor and it is banned in most of the world
"Child labor accounts for 22% of the workforce in Asia, 32% in Africa, 17% in Latin America, 1% in the US, Canada, Europe, and other wealthy nations" -
Children are protected by laws and mostly nurtured and well taken care of by their parents or guardians.
Child abuse, abandonment and murder is seen as cruel and punished severely
"The Equality Act came into force in 2010 to protect everyone, including children and young people, from discrimination and to advance equality and opportunity for all."