Population Growth 1860-1900

America in 1900

The Urban Landscape Creation of great urban parks designed to allow city residents a healthy, restorative escape from the strains of urban life, Frederick Law Olmsted and Vaux designed New York's central park Creation of art museums, concert halls, libraries, parks required philanthropy by the wealthy

The Mall in Central Park, 1902

The Brooklyn Bridge

Strains of Urban Life Chicago and Boston suffered great fires in 1871, encouraged the construction of fireproof buildings, developed professional fire departments Cities lacked adequate systems of disposing waste, air pollution - incidences of respiratory infection and related diseases was much higher in cities

Strains of Urban Life People began to "go out": Coney Island Amusement Park, lavish movie palaces, Saloons and some sporting events tended to be male preserves, Shopping, going to tea rooms was more characteristic of females, relatively few places where people of widely diverse backgrounds gathered together

Strains of Urban Life Rise of organized spectator sports: especially baseball (national pastime) Vaudeville: consisted of a variety of acts (musicians, comedians, magicians, jugglers and others), most important form of mass entertainment was the movies, Thomas Edison created the technology of motion pictures

Strains of Urban Life Working Class Leisure: walking on the streets, saloon- often ethnically specific, became political centers, Fourth of July: one of the highlights of the year, dime novels became popular, music became popular within the home, Scott Joplin: ragtime composer Circulation of daily newspapers increased- began to develop the beginnings of a professional identity, the emergence of a national press service made use of telegraph to supply news

High Culture in the Age of the City Salvation Army: concentrated more on religious revivalism than on relief ofthe homeless and hungry. Street Arabs: orphaned children, who grouped together and lived on streets searching for food- no lasting solution to their problems

High Culture in the Age of the City American murder rate rose rapidly- south and west created much violence Rise of professionalized public police departments Often corrupt

The Rise of Mass Consumption Growth of demand occurred almost at all levels of society- new techniques of production, mass distribution, rising incomes Growth and increasing prosperity of the middle class Emergence of ready-made clothing Large numbers of people became concerned with personal style: women's fashions

The Rise of Mass Consumption E. W. Woolworth: opened his first "Five and Ten Cent Sore"- went on to build a national chain of dry goods stores

The Rise of Mass Consumption Refrigerated railroad carts made it possible for meats, vegetables and dairy products to be transported and kept it from spoiling . Improved diets and better health- life expectancy rose 6 years . Development of Chain stores: able to sell manufactures goods at cheaper prices, great variety of products