AP European History Seminar Gabriel Cardiff Period 4 12/9/11 Prompt: Analyze the problems and opportunities with the rapid urbanization of western Europe in the nineteenth century.

Early problems: In early urbanization factories drew attention to the rural workers, which expanded the population in a small urban area. When there were sudden burst of population growth famine and/or disease broke out which wiped out a vast majority of the population. Sanitation began to drop due to the overcrowding of the cities.

Additional problems When many factories were first built, they were highly pollutive. During the industrial revolution so many factories were being built and family size would increase. A city that had to large amount of population became overcrowded, and living conditions dropped.

Opportunities that allowed Urbanization. There were many advancements in technology that improved travel and improved the speed of how fast someone worked and how much they made. Coal was beginning to be used as a form of energy which allowed advancement in factories. First factories were being made such as ironworks or Linen mills due to urbanization

Continued Factories were a beacon to rural workers, and advancements in travel allowed them to get to the factories. Factories allowed families to make a better wage than what they would working in fields, so families in turn began having more children in attempt to gain more money. More money led to development of a “modern” middle class and living conditions improved.

The industrial revolution allowed the rapid growth of population and urbanization. Higher population allowed more workers which led to agricultural advancements and increase in amounts of food. Early attempts in urbanization led to famine or disease because houses would be clustered together, and post industrial revolution changed that and improved sanitation. Factories also led to the end of major poverty and allowed most families to live a decent life and have enough food for all of those in the household.