Topic 8: Urbanization

2nd Industrial Revolution

Life at the Turn of the Twentieth

Century:

Objective

Write:Urbanization transformed American life.

Define UrbanizationWrite:It means growth of cities. The root word is urban meaning “city.” Cities grew rapidly during the 2nd Industrial Revolution.

Why did cities grow rapidly during the 2nd Industrial

Revolution?

Write:Since factories were built in or near cities; they drew people who were looking for employment.

Many industries were expanding and drew people to the cities in which they

were located.

Pittsburgh—steelChicago—meat packingDetroit—car manufacturingNew York—clothing factories

Write:Buildings got much taller and could house (hold) more people.

Urban Life in America

How did the look of cities change?

What changes caused cities to grow in the late 19th century ?

 Write:

Increases in immigration

Widespread industrialization

Improvements in agricultural technology

advancements in networks of railroad and streetcar lines

 

As immigration into the United States increased, many immigrants arrived in major ports on the East Coast and settled close to these places of entry. In addition to this increase in population, people were moving towards urban areas in search of work because of new farming technology that required fewer farm workers. Industrialization resulted in large numbers of factories being built in urban areas. All of these changes resulted in cities developing, or the geographic process of urbanization. 

Information you need to know for OGT concerning growth of cities during

Industrialization Era

1

2

3

Write:To preserve open green space within a growing, crowded city.

What was the purpose of Central Park in New York?

Write:buildings grew taller; cities more crowded; new city parks; settlement house movement began

How did cities change in the late 1800s?

Wealthy: flaunted wealth; Middle class: had time and money for leisure activitiesWorking class: lived in tenements, paid low wages, extremely poor.

What was urban life like at the turn of century?

Wealthy Class

Middle Class

Working Poor Class

How different classes live: Create a chart with three columns. Fill in the chart with details about

the lives of the wealthy class, the middle class, and the working class.

The wealthy The middle class The poor working class

Most made their money in industry and business.

urban middle class was made up of corporate employees such as accountants and managers, and professionals

Most people in the cities lived in poverty.

showed off their wealth in many ways, especially in their homes

such as teachers, engineers, lawyers, and doctors

Wages were low, and housing shortages meant that many people lived in crowded tenements

built houses resembling medieval castles and Italian Renaissance palaces

1870s and 1880s, professional organizations began to set standards for certain occupations such as medicine, education, and the law. Had time and money for leisure activities

Tenement life was unhealthy. Buildings did not have sufficient light or ventilation--few windows overlooked streets and alleys filled with trash and sewage. No indoor plumbing

Write:

Settlement house: neighborhood center staffed by professionals and volunteers for education, recreation, and social activities in poor areas Jane Addams:American social worker and activist; she was the co-founder of Hull House, an organization that focused on the needs of immigrants.

Christian Association: Russian class learning to speak English: "My Country 'Tis of Thee"

Define settlement houseWho was Jane Addams?

Write: The social gospel taught that faith without good works was useless, and that Christians had a duty to help the less fortunate in solving social problems such as poverty.

Christian Association: Russian class learning to speak English: "My Country 'Tis of Thee"

How did the social gospel idea influence the rise of settlement houses?

Write:

Crowding of cities led to increased crime with the development of gangs.

What did the crowding of cities lead to?

Positive and negative effects of the Industrial Revolution on Society

Societal Changes Impact on Society

Positive

Negative

Growth of the Middle Class

Increased availability of consumer goods

Improved transportation systems

Increased levels of immigration

Unsanitary, overcrowded urban housing conditions

Growth of corporations: created monopolies/trusts-eliminated competition

Longer working hours—unsafe working conditions—child labor

Increased labor union activity

READ: By the late 1800s many American cities had problems such as crime, bad housing, and poor sanitation. In some cities, control of local government passed to a political machine, which was an organization of professional politicians. Political machines made cities run better, but they were often corrupt.

Political Scandal and Reform

Source: http://my.hrw.com

Define: Political Machines

Write: They were organized groups of dishonest politicians who had two main goals: Get the group’s own

candidates elected to all the top jobs in the city government.

Once in control of the city government, use that power to make the leaders of the organization rich.

Political Scandal and Reform

Source: http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/burns/Unit_4_Cities/U4_Tammany_Hall_NYC.html

This cartoon from the era depicts Tweed leaning on the ballot box with a sign that reads "In counting there is strength," referring to the questionable counting procedures that plagued New York politics at this time.

Political Scandal and Reform

How did political machine bosses gain support from voters?

Bosses won support giving people jobs or helping their families. In return, they expected votes, won elections by fraud and used their positions to gain money, demanding bribes in exchange for city contracts.

How did the gangs of New York serve the machine bosses?

Write:They used force during elections to get people to vote for the politician that they supported.

Write: It was a notorious New York City machine. Its political boss, William Marcy Tweed, was eventually convicted of fraud and sent to prison.

"Tammany Hall, located on West 14th Street in New York City, ca. 1914. Tammany Hall was the meeting place for, and popular name of, the Democratic Party political machine that dominated much of New York City's political life until 1933." [Library of Congress]

Explain the significance of Tammany Hall.