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Chapter 21, Section 2: An Age of Cities. Main Idea: Vast numbers of people migrated to cities, changing urban landscapes and creating new problems. City Populations Boom. In 1860, less than 20% of Americans lived in a city. By 1890, 33%. By 1920, over 50%. Causes of City Growth (Urbanization)
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Chapter 21, Section 2: An Age of Cities Main Idea: Vast numbers of people migrated to cities, changing urban landscapes and creating new problems.
City Populations Boom • In 1860, less than 20% of Americans lived in a city. By 1890, 33%. By 1920, over 50%. • Causes of City Growth (Urbanization) • Industrialization = factory jobs to attract workers • Immigration • Lack of available land (settling of West completed) & farming became less popular (too difficult) * African Americans moved to northern cities in large numbers to escape segregation/Jim Crow in the South.
B. City Life • Most cities were set up with poor crowded into the center, middle-class surrounding them, and the rich farthest out: • Poor: lived in crowded slums called tenements, with no windows, heat or indoor bathrooms. Disease spread rapidly due to crowded conditions. • Middle-class: doctors, lawyers, office workers, etc. Neat houses on nice streets, belonged to clubs & organizations. • Rich: lived in mansions on estates, traveled to Europe, threw lavish parties, bought art, attended opera, etc.
C. Cleaning Up the Cities • Overcrowding led to other problems such as fires, garbage, pollution, crime, etc. • Reformers pushed for improvements: Building codes (fire escapes, plumbing, etc.) Garbage collection, street cleaning, etc. Zoning laws (keep factories out of neighborhoods) Professional fire companies & police forces Street lights, public transportation, water & sewage systems
New buildings were required to have fire escapes and plumbing. Typical tenement fire-escape serving as an extension of the flat
Garbage collection and street cleaning began regularly. Street cleaning, Fourth Street
D. Help for the Poor • Catholic Church – Mother Cabrini • Salvation Army – food & shelter for poor • YMCA/YWCA – activities for young people to briefly escape slum life • Settlement Houses – community center that offers services to poor (Hull House in Chicago by Jane Addams was most famous)
YMCA, YWCA Basketball was invented in 1891 at a YMCA The YWCA offered physical & educational programs during lunch breaks to female factory workers.