Final answer:
The Progressive movement made significant strides against child labor, leading to a notable decrease in child workers and a rise in mandatory schooling, warranting a grade of B for these efforts considering the enforcement limitations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Evaluating the Progressive Movement's Impact on Child Labor
The Progressive movement made substantial inroads in the fight against child labor in the United States in the early 20th century. With the formation of the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) in 1904, and the use of emotionally compelling photography by Lewis Hine, the movement helped raise awareness and push for legislative changes. Significant progress was made as seen in the reduction of child workers from one million in 1880 to 284,000 by 1900, resulting in a marked decline in child illiteracy and better educational opportunities as states and communities enacted mandatory school attendance laws.
While the laws were not uniformly enforced and their effectiveness varied by region and industry, the changes laid the groundwork for the eventual passing of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, which set nationwide standards for child labor. Given these achievements, and considering the drawbacks such as inconsistent enforcement, I would assign a grade of B to the movement's efforts to eliminate child labor. While providing clear progress, there remained room for improvement, particularly in terms of enforcement and reaching into all sectors where child labor was prevalent.
Organized labor also took root during this time, with the development of labor unions becoming more pronounced. They supported the fight against child labor, amongst other worker's rights, indicating the intertwined nature of these social reform movements.