taming the city
DESCRIPTION
Taming the City. Erin Brown, Sara Brown, Jasmin Diaz, Hannah Howerton, Melanie Lee . Industry and the Growth of Cities. European cities had been centers of government, culture, and large-scale commerce. congested, dirty, and unhealthy due to overcrowding Infectious diseases spread quickly - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Erin Brown, Sara Brown, Jasmin Diaz, Hannah Howerton, Melanie Lee
Taming the City
European cities had been centers of government, culture, and large-scale commerce.‐ congested, dirty, and unhealthy due to overcrowding
o Infectious diseases spread quickly• Widespread poverty, lack of urban transportation, lack
of medical knowledge, and overcrowding made it hard to improve the unsanitary conditions.‐ People in France and Britain began to worry about these
conditions.
Industry and the Growth of Cities
• Every scrap of land was used to its fullest extent. ‐ Parks and open areas were
almost non-existent.‐ Narrow houses (row houses)
were built wall to wall.‐ Buildings were built on the
smallest possible lots. o Many lived in extremely small,
overcrowded cellars or attics. • Toilet facilities were
undeveloped or primitive. ‐ Sewage overflowed into
cellar dwellings or became dunghills.
Cont.
Growing population and lack of public transportation were crucial factors.
The gov. in Great Britain was slow to improve sanitation and building codes.
The pre-existing housing conditions along with lack of public concern was most responsible.
Who was Responsible for This?
Was a Benthamite- a follower of radical philosopher Jeremy Bentham‐ Believed in solving public problems rationally
and scientifically Became convinced that disease and death
could be prevented by cleaning the environment‐ Collected reports on workers’ sanitation and
published his findings in 1842‐ Connected disease with filthy living conditions‐ His report became the basis for Britain’s public
health law and formed a national health board
Edwin Chadwick
Won support in the US, France, and GermanyCities were progressing towards higher health
standardsMiasmatic Theory:
‐ Belief that people contract disease when they breathe the odors of decay and excrement
‐ Soon replaced by new medical discoveriesGerm Theory
‐ Developed by Louis Pasteur ‐ Stated that diseases were caused by germs ; could be
controlled in liquids through pasteurization (heating the beverage could kill the bacteria)
‐ Led to the development of effective vaccines
Public Health and the Bacterial Revolution
Antiseptic Principle‐ Developed by Joseph Lister‐ Showed connection
between bacteria in the air and wound infection
‐ proposed that a chemical disinfectant could destroy germs
‐ In response, German surgeons began to sterilize surgical equipment.
Decrease in mortality rates and diseases after 1880
Cont.
Urban planning was one of the keys to improving urban quality of life
France took lead in the role of Napoleon III‐ Believed that by providing employment, improving
living conditions it would successfully improve Paris
‐ Paris was transformed in 20 years with the help of authoritarian planner, baron Georges Haussman.o demolished old buildings to make boulevards
New streets promoted better homeso Parks were built
• Other cities followed Paris’s example
Urban Planning
Was of great importance to the improvement of urban living conditions
European countries developed the electric streetcar in 1890’s ‐ Were cheaper, faster, and dependable
‐ People used it more • Governments built new electric streetcar systems in early 20th century
‐ Better form of transportation allowed the middle class to move to better houses
‐ Allowed cities to expand
Public Transportation