Effects of Urbanization

Urbanization Cities drew people in like a magnet Every bit of land was being used to full extent Almost no parks and open areas Houses were built right up against each other

Unsanitary Conditions Open sewers that ran waste down the street Drained into rivers and drinking water sources Primitive toilets Many people would use the same facilities

Edwin Chadwick Created the idea of carrying off waste through pipes Much cheaper than just removing it by hand Ideas swept to the US, France, and Germany Real progress toward adequate water supplies and sewerage systems

Germ Theory Emergence of the idea that waste and filth spread disease Led to research that developed many effective vaccines Caused surgeons to clean wounds, tools, and hands Death rates declined Many diseases vanished

Expansion of Middle Class New group of factory owners strengthened the middle class Its increasingly hard to get rich unless you are born into it Formal education became more important as means for advancement Created class conflict Women were praised for their femininity

Work Before Revolution People worked in stints You would have something to do or make, then when it was done, you were done People could intertwine their work with other tasks

Conditions in Factories Workers had to keep up with the tempo and speed of the machine Showed up every day Work very long hours Children as young as five or six had to work in the same conditions

Rise of Unions Craftsmen had already organized unions Now factory workers created their own Tolerated but looked down upon

Political Involvement Some unions not only won benefits, but engaged in direct political activity Pushed for the right to vote Gave the workers a sense of their own identity Took role in their own industries

Women Separate from that of their husbands Husbands were wage earners in factories Wives stayed home and cared for children Women faced prejudice if they wanted to move into employment

The Family Marriage included strong emotional ties Financial ties weren’t as much of a concern Mothers cared for their newborn more The number of children per family dropped

Leisure Drinking was the favorite Pubs and cafés were bright and friendly places Rise in modern sports like racing and soccer Music halls and vaudeville theaters were enormously famous