The Industrial Revolution was characterized by the use of steam power, the growth of factories, and the mass production of manufactured goods. In this case, coal became a mass necessity, “for it was a cheap and abundant source of energy” used to power steam engines, heat buildings, and generate electricity. With coal becoming a main source of energy, there was an increase in the employment of coal miners. With this increase in demand for labor came humanitarian issues. Notably, “Children were ideal employees because they could be paid less, were often of smaller size so could attend to tasks in tight spaces and were less likely to organize and strike against their pitiable working conditions.”