The Child in Human Progress

The History of Childhood from Antiquity Onward

George Henry Payne

• Publisher: Aeneas Press
• Year: 2026
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9785486237386
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

The place of the child in law, medicine and custom from antiquity to the twentieth century: exposure, apprenticeship, the factory acts, the invention of childhood as a protected state. George Henry Payne was a journalist and wrote this in 1916 in support of child-labour legislation. The historical chapters are the argument, and they are documented. Twenty-eight plates after Piranesi, Bierstadt, Whistler and others run from prison vaults to Florida moss, matching the book's sweep from confinement to open air.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Copyright
• Foreword
• Preface
• Chapter I. MATERNAL AFFECTION THE BEGINNING OF HUMAN ALTRUISM—SYMPATHY AND PARENTAL LOVE THE BASIS OF OTHER VIRTUES—THE…
• Chapter II. HUMAN MARRIAGE—EVOLUTION OF THE PARENTAL INSTINCT—SOCIAL CONDITIONS AMONG PAPUANS—CHILD’S PLACE IN THE…
• Chapter III. THE KILLING OF TWINS—OTHER EXCUSES FOR INFANTICIDE—RESTRICTING THE FAMILY—ECONOMIC REASONS…
• Chapter IV
• Chapter V. DEATH BY NEGLECT AND SACRIFICE IN JAPAN—THE NEW-BORN TABOO—MYTH OF THE EXPOSURE OF THE CHILD OF THE…
• Chapter VI. MESOPOTAMIA THE EARLIEST CIVILIZATION KNOWN—FAINT TRACES OF CHILD-SACRIFICE—LAWS FOR WOMEN AND…
• Chapter VII. MOST ANCIENT NATION WAS KIND TO CHILDREN—ECONOMIC PRESSURE BROUGHT NO SPECIAL CRUELTY—PICTURE OF THE…
• Chapter VIII
• Chapter IX. SEMITIC DEVELOPMENT IN CANAAN—SACRIFICE OF THE FIRST-BORN PERSISTS—ORIGIN OF THE IDEA OF SACRIFICE—THE…
• Chapter X. HEBREW WRITERS ON THE ORIGIN OF THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY—CHILD SACRIFICE CONDEMNED IN THE STORY OF…
• Chapter XI. ANCIENT ARABIANS WERE CANNIBALISTIC—DAUGHTERS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REAR—CONDITIONS BEFORE THE COMING OF THE…
• Chapter XII. EXPOSURE BY A CIVILIZED PEOPLE—LACK OF HUMANITY AMONG THE GREEKS—THEIR MYTHOLOGY AN EVIDENCE—CHILDREN IN…
• Chapter XIII. FEMALE CHILDREN NOT DESIRABLE AMONG GREEKS—PRECAUTIONS FOR SAVING EXPOSED CHILDREN—ORNAMENTS AS A MEANS…
• Chapter XIV. FIRST RECOGNITION OF RIGHTS OF CHILDREN—LAWS OF ROMULUS AND OF NUMA POMPILIUS—THE TWELVE TABLES—ATTITUDE…
• Chapter XV. HUMANITARIAN MEASURES OF AUGUSTUS—LIFE IN THE IMPERIAL CITY—FIRST ATTEMPTS OF THE STATE TO CHECK…
• Chapter XVI. REFORMS OF HADRIAN—PUNISHMENT OF FATHERS—VALERIUS MAXIMUS—FAVOURITE STREETS IN ROME FOR LEAVING ABANDONED…
• Chapter XVII. PROGRESS UNDER THE ANTONINES—FAUSTINA’S EFFORTS TO SAVE FEMALE CHILDREN—CHRISTIAN SENTIMENT GROWS—PLEA OF…
• Chapter XVIII. Pleas of the Christian Fathers
• Chapter XIX. CONDITIONS AMONG THE PEOPLES WHO CONQUERED THE ROMAN EMPIRE—IRISH SACRIFICED FIRST BORN—THE WERGELD—THE…
• Chapter XX. GROWTH OF THE HUMANITARIAN MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT EUROPE—IN THE DARK AGES—CHURCH TAKES UP THE HUMANITARIAN…
• Chapter XXI. CRUELTY TO CHILDREN IN THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURY—ATTEMPT AT REGULATION—DEFORMING CHILDREN FOR…
• Chapter XXII. RISE OF FACTORY SYSTEM—THE CHILD A CHARGE ON THE STATE—CHILDREN ACTUALLY SLAVES UNDER FACTORY…
• Chapter XXIII. INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IN AMERICA—PROTECTION FOR ANIMALS—FOUNDING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF…
• Appendix A
• 1st Title
• 2D Title
• 3D Title. Of Abandoned Children and Poor Orphans.
• 4th Title. Of the Education of Foundlings, Abandoned Children, and Orphans.
• 5th Title. On the Expenses of Foundlings, Abandoned Children, and Orphans.
• 6th Title. Of the Guardianship and of Foundling Children and Abandoned Children.
• 7th Title. On the Recognition and Announcement (Reclamation) of Foundlings and Abandoned Children.
• 8th Title. General “Dispositions”.
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• About the Author