Final answer:
The answer is A. true; laws prohibiting child labor did exist during this era, including state-level laws in the early 1900s, the Keating-Owen Act, and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the era in question, there were indeed laws that prohibited child labor, thus the answer to the question is A. true. Three prominent phases can be noted in the legal battle against child labor in the United States. In the early 1900s, thanks to the efforts of local anti-child labor organizations, several states passed laws limiting child labor. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was a turning point, setting federal limits on the employment and abuse of child workers, which included setting the minimum age of workers at 18 and placing restrictions on the jobs and hours for children aged 14-16 to encourage school attendance.
Additionally, the Keating-Owen Act of 1916 was significant as it prohibited the interstate trade of goods produced by child labor but was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Even before that, countries like Prussia also enacted laws against child labor, setting the groundwork for eventual widespread legislation against the practice.