CHAPTER 13 SECTION 2

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 13 SECTION 2

2 Post-Civil War cities grew rapidly Urban population tripled from 1870 to 1900 NYC 800,000 in million in 1900 Chicago 109,000 to 1.6 million during the same period There were several reasons Immigrants too poor to buy farms, not educated enough for high paying jobs stayed in the cities Rural Americans also moved to the cities in search of better paying jobs and modern conveniences Bright lights, running water, modern plumbing Museums, libraries and theaters

3 The physical appearance of cities also changed As populations went up, so did the price of land And so did the buildings! Tall steel buildings called skyscrapers began to appear Chicago s first the 10 story Home Insurance Building was built in 1885 Since most of NYC s business district was on the narrow island of Manhattan, they were forced to build UP! Manhattan would soon boast that it had the most skyscrapers in the world! Chicago s Louis Sullivan was the lead designer for many of the nations skyscrapers Designs featured lofty structures, simple lines and spacious plate glass windows

4 To move people around cities quicker mass transit was developed At first, most cities used horse cars railroad cars pulled by a horse 70% of urban traffic moved this way in 1890 Next came cable cars (railroad cars pulled along by underground cables) Started in San Francisco, spread to over 20 cities In 1887, Frank Sprague developed the electric trolley First line in Richmond, Virginia in 1888 Congestion in the largest cities forced mass transit off of the street El-trains in Chicago Subways in Boston and New York

5 In growing cities wealthy and working class people lived in different parts of the city So too, did members of the middle class Boundaries were definite and are still visible today HIGH SOCIETY Wealthy families lived in fashionable districts in the city center They had enough money to build any type of home that suited them from a feudal castle to Persian pavilion Vanderbilt built $3M chateau with a gymnasium, marble bathroom and 2 story dining room! As the homes got larger, more servants were needed Maids, cooks, butlers, coachmen, chauffeurs, and nannies Spent big money on social events

6 MIDDLE-CLASS GENTILITY Industrialization expanded the middle class as well The rising middle class was composed of doctors, lawyers, engineers, managers, social workers, architects and teachers Moved out of the city center to be able to afford bigger homes and avoid crime and pollution Commuter rail lines allowed them to move to the suburbs Most had at least one live in servant This allowed women to pursue activities outside the home such as Women s Clubs At first these were social clubs, but they evolved into charitable and reform organizations In Chicago, women s clubs helped establish juvenile courts and pushed for mental health reforms

7 THE WORKING CLASS Couldn t afford homes, live in tenements (apartments) First was built in NYC in 1839 Very crowded, dark, multi-family apartments Often rented precious space to a border to earn more money THE FAMILY ECONOMY Some working class better off than others White native-born men earned higher wages that African- American men, immigrants and women Often more than one wage earner per family; sometimes the entire family (including the kids) worked Many reformers were alarmed that the children worked in such dangerous conditions and were not in school

8 THE FAMILY ECONOMY A growing number of women took jobs outside the home Native born white women typically had more education Used their literacy to become teachers or do clerical work Still most women worked as domestic servants Immigrant women in the North, African American women in the South Either way it involved long hours, low wages and social isolation People physically unable to work relied on charity or family 70% of Americans over 65 lived with their children Others lived on their own or in homes for the aged

9 CRIME and POLLUTION Major problem in American cities Pickpockets, swindlers and thieves thrived in crowded urban conditions Major crimes also multiplied between 1880 and 1900 Murder rate jumped from 25/million people to 100/million Alcohol contributed significantly to violent crime both inside and outside of the home Disease and Pollution were even bigger problems Improper sewage disposal contaminated water supplies triggering epidemics of typhoid fever and cholera Though flush toilets and sewer system existed in 1870, pollution (horse manure in the streets and smoke belching from the chimneys) remained a severe issue

10 GRAFT and FRAUD Political machines, informal political groups designed to gain and keep power arose because cities grew faster than their governments New city dwellers needed jobs, housing, heat and food In exchange for votes, party bosses eagerly provided them! The party bosses that ran the machine also controlled the city s finances Many politician got rich as the result of graft or fraud They could use inside information to position themselves to make money Or they would accept straight up bribes and kick backs

11 TAMMANY HALL Most infamous political machine in New York William Boss Tweed was its leader during the 1860s Bosses usually controlled all city agencies including the police which meant they could do whatever they wanted without fear of arrest Tweed pushed it too far though (as shown in the video) and was sent to prison in 1874 where he remained until his death in 1878