1. Children
English law
Children under 7 considered not to know right from wrong
7-14: presumption that they did not know right from wrong, but that could be overcome with evidence
14-18: presumption that they do know right from wrong, but could be overcome with evidence

2. Attitudes toward children
Children were treated like adults
Same punishment, even death
Early codes recognized special needs such as guardianship, adoption, runaways
Harsh treatment
Protestant reformation: children wicked but worth saving

3. Factors influencing attitudes
Development of medical science: childhood mortality dropped
Birthrates dropped
Increased investment in children—they will live

4. Factors influencing attitudes
Industrial revolution: migration to cities
Increased difficulties in supervising children
Child labor
Eventually, pressure to reserve labor for adults (unions, child savers)

5. Attitudes toward children
Rise of education
Children removed from labor market
Increased emphasis on skills necessary for success in a technological society
Stratification of children by ages and separation from adults
Less options for youth other than education

6. Attitudes toward children
Rise of psychiatry, child psychology, and social work
Psychiatry: application of medical model to behavior—diagnosis, treatment and cure
Child psychology: discovery of differences in learning and processing, different developmental stages
Social work: dealing with social problems, rather than letting things happen

7. Attitudes toward children
Child savers
Jane Addams, Hull House in Chicago
Child savers usually middle to upper class, well-educated, often female
Wanted to help, protect and instill young people with proper values
Advocated child labor laws and compulsory education, emphasized children’s differences