Ch.7 section 2 The Challenges of Urbanization

Urban Opportunities Rapid urbanization occurred as a result of the technological boom in the 19 th century Immigrants Settle in Cities Cheapest, most convenient places to live Unskilled laborers could find jobs in factories By 1910, immigrants made up over half of the population of 18 major cities Americanization Movement Designed to assimilate people into the dominant culture English literacy, American history and government classes, social etiquette and cooking

Urban Opportunities Migration from Country to City Improvements in farming technology meant people moved to cities to find work African American migration Moved to cities such as Chicago and Detroit as their farms became unprofitable Competed for work with white immigrants, causing racial tension

Urban Problems Housing Tenements- single-family dwelling with 2-3 families living in them 1879 New York passed a law that set minimum standards for plumbing and ventilation in apartments Transportation Mass transit connected neighborhoods in large cities with outlying communities Water Homes seldom had indoor plumbing Water was collected from faucets on the streets Filtration was introduced in the 1870s and chlorination in 1908 Most city dwellers though, did not have access to this safe water

Urban Problems Sanitation Horse manure piled up on streets, sewage flowed through open gutters, garbage was dumped in streets, and black factory smoke spewed into the air. These challenges began to be addressed in the early 1900s Crime Pickpockets and thieves were the most common type of criminal Most police forces were too small Fire Limited water supply, wooden dwellings, use of candles and kerosene heaters all contributed to fires in major cities Great Chicago Fire (1871) and San Francisco Earthquake (1906) After 1900, most new buildings were made of brick or stone and full- time fire departements were created

Reformers Mobilize Social Gospel Movement Salvation through service to the poor Settlement House Movement Influenced by the SGM Community centers in slum neighborhoods to provide assistance to those who lived in the area Provided educational, cultural, and social services Influential Founders Charles Stover and Stanton Coit in NYC Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr in Chicago Jane Porter Barrett in Hampton, VA for African Americans