Urban Expansion
The period of time of the Industrial Revolution, 1870-1920, is known as the "melting-pot" era of the United States because so many immigrants came to live and work in cities during that time. With so many unskilled immigrants looking for factory work, cities had no choice but to expand. More people wanted to work in the city and therefore more people needed to live in the city. More than 33 million people came to the United States at this time and the population in cities rose exponentially. In 1870, only two American cities had a population of more than 500,000. By 1900, there were six with a population over 500,00 people. New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia had over one million.
As farming became more efficient, less workers were needed on farms. Many people lost farming jobs and had to look for work elsewhere as the demand for agricultural work declined. The city was the next place to go for work. Many of the workers who lost their jobs were African American. As African Americans looked for jobs in the North and competed against white people, causing more racial tension. Segregation and discrimination were not absent in the North.
Cities not only expanded outward, but upward. Skyscrapers appeared on the horizons of cities as people began to make buildings taller and taller. With more people in the city, the value of city property increased. Buying more property became too expensive, so property began to grow upwards. The first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1884. These buildings were used primarily for offices and business, however, and not housing for the increased population.
As more people moved to cities, challenges arose. It was harder to keep the cities clean and provide clean water. Public waterworks systems had to be built to meet demands. City dwellers rarely had indoor plumbing. Water was still not up to par and disease was spreading. In 1870, filtration was introduced and in 1908, chlorination. People also dumped garbage and sewage into the streets, making conditions almost unlivable. Sewer lines and sanitation departments were developed to improve conditions.
Public transportation allowed workers to move more easily to and from work. Street cars (1873) and electric subways (1897) were invented to move many people from one place to another. Building and fixing the mass transit systems proved to be difficult for cities, though.
Fire and crime were major city concerns as well. A paid police force was developed for the first time, but they were too small to really make an impact on crime. The lack of water was a big worry. If a fire were to break out in the city, it would be very difficult to put it out again. Most firefighters were volunteers and not available when the fires broke out. A paid fire team had to be established in most major cities. Fire sprinklers were invented to help, as well.
Liza French
As farming became more efficient, less workers were needed on farms. Many people lost farming jobs and had to look for work elsewhere as the demand for agricultural work declined. The city was the next place to go for work. Many of the workers who lost their jobs were African American. As African Americans looked for jobs in the North and competed against white people, causing more racial tension. Segregation and discrimination were not absent in the North.
Cities not only expanded outward, but upward. Skyscrapers appeared on the horizons of cities as people began to make buildings taller and taller. With more people in the city, the value of city property increased. Buying more property became too expensive, so property began to grow upwards. The first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1884. These buildings were used primarily for offices and business, however, and not housing for the increased population.
As more people moved to cities, challenges arose. It was harder to keep the cities clean and provide clean water. Public waterworks systems had to be built to meet demands. City dwellers rarely had indoor plumbing. Water was still not up to par and disease was spreading. In 1870, filtration was introduced and in 1908, chlorination. People also dumped garbage and sewage into the streets, making conditions almost unlivable. Sewer lines and sanitation departments were developed to improve conditions.
Public transportation allowed workers to move more easily to and from work. Street cars (1873) and electric subways (1897) were invented to move many people from one place to another. Building and fixing the mass transit systems proved to be difficult for cities, though.
Fire and crime were major city concerns as well. A paid police force was developed for the first time, but they were too small to really make an impact on crime. The lack of water was a big worry. If a fire were to break out in the city, it would be very difficult to put it out again. Most firefighters were volunteers and not available when the fires broke out. A paid fire team had to be established in most major cities. Fire sprinklers were invented to help, as well.
Liza French