Content Statement 12 Urban Disasters and Slums; Reformers Attack Urban Problems; Political Machines Run Cities Mr. Leasure 2014 – 2015 Harrison Career Center

What were some of the causes of housing problems in tenements in the late 19 th century? Key Question #1

..problems in tenements? The concentration of people in cities increased danger of disasters because people and buildings were packed closely together.

..problems in tenements? As people flocked to cities, overcrowding became a serious problem.

..problems in tenements? It was a serious problem for families who could not afford to buy a house.

..problems in tenements? Such families usually lived in a rented apartment or tenement.

..problems in tenements? A tenement is an apartment house that is usually run-down or overcrowded.

..problems in tenements? Old buildings, landlord neglect, poor design, and little government control led to dangerous conditions in many tenements.

..problems in tenements? Poor families could not afford to rent a place of their own and often moved in with other families to save money.

..problems in tenements? This resulted in severely overcrowded tenements.

..problems in tenements? Inadequate garbage pick-up also caused problems.

..problems in tenements? Tenants sometimes dumped their garbage into the narrow air shafts between tenements.

..problems in tenements? There was little fresh air, and the smell was awful.

..problems in tenements? Many tenements had no running water.

..problems in tenements? Residents had to collect water from a faucet on the street but it was often unsafe for drinking.

..problems in tenements? Sewage flowed in open gutters and threatened to spread disease among tenement dwellers.

..problems in tenements? A neighborhood with such overcrowded, dangerous housing was called a slum.

How did reformers attack urban problems? Key Question #2

..reformers attack problems? Many Americans were disgusted by poverty and slums.

..reformers attack problems? Some people fought to reform, or create changes, that would solve these problems.

..reformers attack problems? These people were known as urban reformers.

..reformers attack problems? The social gospel movement provided one basis for these beliefs.

..reformers attack problems? The social gospel movement aimed to improve the lives of the poor.

..reformers attack problems? The most important concerns of the social gospel movement were labor reforms, such as abolishing child labor.

..reformers attack problems? Some reformers inspired by the movement opened settlement houses.

..reformers attack problems? Settlement houses helped the poor and immigrants improve their lives.

..reformers attack problems? They offered services such as daycare, education, and health care to needy people in slum neighborhoods.

..reformers attack problems? Many settlement house founders were educated middle-class women.

..reformers attack problems? Jane Addams founded Chicago’s Hull House in 1889.

..reformers attack problems? The Hull House soon became the model for other settlement houses in other cities.

How did political machines affect city life in the late 19 th century? Key Question #3

..did political machines affect..? Political machines were another type of organization that addressed the problems of the city.

..did political machines affect..? A political machine is an organization that influences enough votes to control a local government.

..did political machines affect..? Political machines gained support by trading favors for votes.

..did political machines affect..? For example, political machine bosses gave jobs or food to people who voted in their best interest.

..did political machines affect..? The most famous political machine was Tammany Hall in New York City.

..did political machines affect..? The Tammany Hall bosses stole large amounts of money from the city.

..did political machines affect..? Despite the corruption, the political machines did a number of good things for the city.

..did political machines affect..? They built parks, sewers, schools, roads, and orphanages in many cities.

..did political machines affect..? Machine politicians helped immigrants find jobs or homes when they entered the United States.

..did political machines affect..? Many immigrants gratefully supported the political machine after this kind of help.