An Age of Cities

An Age of Cities 21-2

Urban Population Boom“We can not all live in cities, yet nearly all seem

determined to do so” –Horace Greenly

Urbanization: Movement of population from farms to cities• Jobs drew people to cities – Industrialization

What caused urban populations to boom

(grow)?

What caused urban populations to boom (grow)?

JOBS • As industry grew, so did the need for workers

IMMIGRANTS • settled in major cities

MIGRATION • From farm to city • frontier closed

African Americans

• Sought better life• To escape prejudice – didn’t work

Patterns of City SettlementWhat were the patterns of City Settlement?

orWhere did people live within the city?

As cities grew, they took on a similar shape

Urban PoorUrban Middle Class

The Rich

(GUESS!!! BUT TRY AND USE REASON)Where in the city do you think each of these groups settled?

THE URBAN POOR• City’s center – the oldest section• Crowded Slums• Streets were crowded with people, horses, carts &

garbage• Conditions worsened as factories moved into city centers • Disease filled (typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis)

TENEMENT – apartment buildings with 4 apartments on each floor/ 6-7 stories high with no windows, heat, or indoor bathrooms. 10 people per room.

Different Styles of Tenements

• No gas (for light or heat), • no indoor toilets• few with running water

• In 1867, New York City began passing laws to improve conditions

• Some landlords, installed gas lines, running water and interior flush toilets.

• Others closed and evicted the tenets.

(4) 3 room apartmentsRoughly 325 square feetNo toilet, stove, or bathEach kitchen had a fireplaceUsually 5 (sometimes 6 or 7) floorsDesigned to hold 20 families or more

34 tenements built.

http://www.tenement.org/Virtual_Tour/index_virtual.html

Click above to take the virtual tour of several tenements (restored*) in New York.

Urban Middle Class Beyond slums

400-7,000 sq ft.

Tree shaded streets

Doctors, lawyers, business managers

Less frequent disease

Leisure activities brought community together

The Rich Live on the

outskirts of the city

Modeled lives after European Royalty• Mansions• Threw Parties• Houses decorated

with Artwork

Solving City Problems City Problems

• Garbage• Pollution• Crime• Fire • Safety• Water Systems

• Poor

Urban Reforms

• Garbage Collection• Zoning Laws• Police Departments• Fire Departments• Building Codes• New underground

tunnels

• Religious Groups

Religious Organizations Help Poor• Catholic Churches – helped many immigrants

• Protestants – encouraged business & well to do to help the poor – Social Gospel Movement

• Methodists – Salvation Army – offered food & shelter

• Jewish – community services (YMHA) – social activities, good citizenship, preserve culture

Settlement House Movement

Settlement House: Community houses that offered services to the poor

Hull House: settlement house founded by Jane Adams

• Helped immigrants adjust• classes on government and language• Recreation activities• Nurseries• Healthcare

Realized the problems were too big for one group and urged the government to act.

• Pressed for reform Campaigned for health (Alice Hamilton) and child labor laws (Florence Kelly) Advocated for women to vote