Cotton production during the Industrial Revolution played an important role in English history. The revolution was brought about by the development of new technologies, including the invention of machines capable of producing large quantities of cotton fabric. The resulting shift of cotton production from the home to the factory began in the 1760s and was completed around 1830. The industrialization of cotton production transformed England in many ways, including rapid urbanization and the introduction of children into the workforce of factories. It can be argued that the cotton industry would not have been so successful without the employment of children; however the effects were detrimental to their well-being and eventually led to the passing of a series of laws to limit child labor. Before considering the reasons and impact of child labor, it is necessary to provide a brief overview of the industrial revolution in England. The 14th century saw England move from an exporter of raw wool to a producer of quality woolen fabrics. The two main events that allowed this to happen were: the Hundred Years' War and the Bubonic Plague. The Hundred Years' War was a battle between the English and the French, beginning in 1337. During the war, King Edward III of England created a wool monopoly in an attempt to raise funds to support the war effort. This was achieved by taxing the export of wool to Flanders and the Netherlands. As a result, the production of woolen fabrics declined and provided England with the opportunity to exploit the shortage. It was also during this period that the bubonic plague hit Europe killing a third to half of the population. The effects of the plague were mostly devastating, but... middle of paper... boys between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. The last act to be examined is the Education Act of 1880, which provided compulsory schooling for all children aged five to ten. Although the law made attendance compulsory for children in this age group, by the early 1890s only 82 percent of children attended school. Many children continued to work as their families desperately depended on their income to make ends meet. The cotton industry brought unprecedented growth to many towns and cities in the Lancashire area. The economic prosperity of the cotton industry rested heavily on the shoulders of the many children who worked in the mills, often to their detriment. Eventually a small group of people fought for the welfare of child workers and a series of labor laws were passed that aimed to remove children from factories all together...