UrbanizationUrbanization

The lure of The lure of OPPURTUNITYOPPURTUNITY

Urban OpportunitiesUrban Opportunities

• Immigrants settle in citiesImmigrants settle in cities• Cheap and convenientCheap and convenient• Offered jobsOffered jobs• Social supportSocial support

• Ethnic neighborhoodsEthnic neighborhoods• Americanization movementAmericanization movement

Migration from Country to CityMigration from Country to City

• New farm equipmentNew farm equipment• Replaces farm workersReplaces farm workers

• Farms mergedFarms merged• Moved to cities for new jobsMoved to cities for new jobs• African Americans from the south moved to African Americans from the south moved to

large cities large cities • Forced to take low paying factory jobsForced to take low paying factory jobs

Urban Cultural OpportunitiesUrban Cultural Opportunities

• Life in a city was varied and excitingLife in a city was varied and exciting• Each city had its own personality and Each city had its own personality and

cultural attractionscultural attractions• NY- first moving pictureNY- first moving picture• Chicago- Chicago- Columbian Exposition Columbian Exposition or or

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West ShowBuffalo Bill’s Wild West Show• Boston- ball parkBoston- ball park

Urban ProblemsUrban Problems

• HousingHousing• Live in outskirts and commuteLive in outskirts and commute• BoardinghousesBoardinghouses• As populations increased, new optionsAs populations increased, new options

• Row housesRow houses• Dumbbell tenementsDumbbell tenements

Row HousesRow Houses

•Single-family dwellings that shared side walls w/ other similar houses

• After working class families moved out, immigrants took them over

•Immigrants occupied them w/ 2-3 families…overcrowded

Dumbbell TenementsDumbbell Tenements

•Laws passed for standard plumbing and ventilation

•Long, narrow, 5 or 6 story buildings shaped like barbells.

•Central part indented on both sides to allow for an air shaft and thus an outside window for each room

•Dumped garbage into air shafts- nailed windows shut to avoid stench- thus defeating its purpose

*Worse than row houses*

TransportationTransportation

• Street cars attached to moving Street cars attached to moving underground cables (San Francisco, 1873)underground cables (San Francisco, 1873)

• Electric streetcar line (Richmond, Electric streetcar line (Richmond, Virginia, 1888)Virginia, 1888)

• Electric subways (Boston, 1897)Electric subways (Boston, 1897)• Mass transit networks by early 20Mass transit networks by early 20 thth

century century

WaterWater

• Before industrialization- bought from Before industrialization- bought from vendorsvendors

• Cities eventually built public water worksCities eventually built public water works• However many cities had inadequate However many cities had inadequate

water mains-or none at allwater mains-or none at all• Disease riddenDisease ridden

• Chlorination and filtrationChlorination and filtration

SanitationSanitation

• ScavengersScavengers- private contractors hired - private contractors hired to sweep streets, collect garbage, and to sweep streets, collect garbage, and clean outhousesclean outhouses• Often didn’t do their jobOften didn’t do their job

• Sewer lines and sanitation departments Sewer lines and sanitation departments instilled instilled

FireFire

• Limited water supplyLimited water supply• Wooden dwellingsWooden dwellings• Candles and kerosene heaters= fire hazardCandles and kerosene heaters= fire hazard• From volunteer to paid firefightersFrom volunteer to paid firefighters• Automatic fire sprinkler systemsAutomatic fire sprinkler systems• Replaced wood with concrete structuresReplaced wood with concrete structures

CrimeCrime

• Pickpockets and thieves flourishedPickpockets and thieves flourished• Con-men scammed immigrants and Con-men scammed immigrants and

naïve country peoplenaïve country people• GangsGangs• Inadequate police forcesInadequate police forces

Reformers MobilizeReformers Mobilize

• Work to find solutions for Work to find solutions for growing urban problemsgrowing urban problems

• Mostly educated, middle class Mostly educated, middle class men and womenmen and women

Social Gospel MovementSocial Gospel Movement

• Preached salvation through service Preached salvation through service to the poor.to the poor.

• Erect churches in poor Erect churches in poor communitiescommunities• Persuade business leaders to treat Persuade business leaders to treat

workers more fairlyworkers more fairly

Settlement House MovementSettlement House Movement

• Community centers in slum Community centers in slum neighborhoods neighborhoods • Provided assistance and friendship to Provided assistance and friendship to

locals (immigrants especially)locals (immigrants especially)• Educational, cultural, and social Educational, cultural, and social

servicesservices• Jane AddamsJane Addams