During the early years of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, child labor was a common and widespread practice. Children as young as 6 or 7 years old were often employed in factories, mines, and mills, working long hours in harsh and dangerous conditions. They were paid significantly less than adult workers and often subjected to physical and emotional abuse. This scenario of child labor would have been outlawed under modern labor policies, as it is now widely recognized as exploitative and harmful to the well-being of children.